A drug dealer who hid heroin and crack cocaine behind pictures on the walls of his flat has been jailed for six years.

Robert Richards claimed he was still trying to repay his supplier for substances seized during his first drugs conviction in 2006.

Unemployed Richards admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine between November 16 and 26 last year at his home on Holburn Street in Aberdeen.

His counsel, David Moggach, told the High Court in Edinburgh: "He tells me he is still being chased for that money. As a consequence that led him to commit the further dealing offence."

A judge told him: "When the police raided the flat occupied by you they found a total of nine packages of heroin with a street value of £630 and 16 packages of crack cocaine with a maximum street value of £1300."

Lord Uist said: "You were also found to be in possession of £350 in cash. "It is clear from the discoveries and what you said to the police were engaged in commercial dealing in these two dangerous drugs."

He told Richards he must now face the consequences and pointed out he had three previous convictions for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

Richards was jailed for two years and three years in 2006 and 2007 at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and given the minimum term of five years and 219 days following a guilty plea at the High Court in Edinburgh in 2009 after his third conviction.

Lord Uist told Richards he would have jailed him for nine years for the latest offence but for his guilty plea.

Advocate depute Stephen McCloy said police raided Richards' flat after receiving intelligence and found him in the living room.

During a search he nodded towards a picture hanging in the room and officers recovered a bag from behind it. Another was recovered from behind a picture in the hall.

In a later interview with officers, Richards revealed he had sourced drugs from Birmingham and bought two ounces each of heroin and crack cocaine which he had divided up.

Mr Moggach said Richards had previously worked as a decorator and forklift driver but had a problem with drugs for many years.

The defence counsel said Richards told him that as a result of the 2006 offence "he is still endeavouring to repay his supplier for the drugs that were seized by the police".