The boss of a private members club has been jailed for 21 months for drugs offences.

Meads Club franchisee Steven Magee, of The Goffs, Eastbourne, admitted one charge of intent to supply cannabis and another of possessing cannabis.

Police raided the flat which the 44-year-old shared with his mother on February 11 and found 15 and a half bars of cannabis resin.

The bars weighed 9oz each and had a street value of £12,500.

After the discovery, officers went to the club in Meads Road, Eastbourne, and arrested Magee, Lewes Crown Court heard.

When police searched the club they found another 9oz of cannabis resin.

Richard Cherrill, prosecuting, told the court: "In interview, Mr Magee said he had been the franchisee of the club for a couple of months and accepted the cannabis at the club was his for his own use.

"He said he had been using it for 28 years and got through half a bar every month.

"He said he lived with his mother and the 15 bars had been given to him to look after.

"He said about a week before, 5kg had been left with him by someone he would not name and said he was going to be paid in cannabis for looking after it."

The court was told Magee was a former gambling addict who had taken over the running of the club with his partner Roz last November.

Robert Jones, defending, said: "The cannabis found at the club was for his own personal use. He had a gambling addiction which he had managed to conquer before receiving the opportunity to take over the Meads Club with his partner.

"That opportunity raised his self-esteem and he was working up to 20 hours a day to try and make a good go of it.

"Their relationship grew as a result of the club and therefore it caused extreme anguish to him and his family that he'd put all of that in jeopardy.

"He knows he's let people down by behaving in this way."

Sentencing Magee, Recorder Ian Wilson said: "It's quite clear from what your counsel has said there's much good in you and it's a shame you have placed yourself in this position.

"But for such a drug offence I have no choice but to pass a custodial sentence."

Magee was sentenced to a total of 21 months in prison and the recorder ordered the drugs seized by police to be destroyed.