A "LOVING" father-of-four who was caught with 57 bags of cannabis stuffed in his trousers, jacket and underpants has been jailed for nine months.

Lloyd Richards, of Eton Road in Ilford, was sentenced today at Snaresbrook Crown Court after pleading guilty to charges of dealing and possessing £542 in cash raised from selling drugs.

Richards, a 39-year-old barber, was stopped by police in a car park on Ilford Lane after a tip-off from the member of the public back in February.

Officers initially discovered just 10 bags on him, but a strip search back at Ilford police station revealed the extra bags stuffed in his underpants and in a second pair of trousers he was wearing underneath his jeans.

In total, Richards was caught with three ounces of herbal cannabis, which police reckon had a street value of £243.

Described as a "loving" father, Richards's defence team said he had made a one-off serious mistake, and had not dealt drugs before.

Richards, who has no previous convictions, said he was sorry for what he had done.

In total, he was sentenced to nine months in prison on both counts to run concurrently, although he will serve half that on licence unless he is released earlier.