POLICE believe they have taken out the biggest supplier of cannabis to Malmesbury's youngsters with the arrest of drug-dealer Robert Lewis.

Police raided the 49-year-old's flat, in High Street, Malmesbury, in November, and discovered 44 separate tinfoil wraps of the drug ready to sell to teenage clients, some as young as 16.

He was caught red-handed selling cannabis to a client who entered his flat, moments before officers, armed with a search warrant, burst through his door and found £900 worth of the drug.

Lewis pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis resin and two charges of intent to supply at Chippenham Magistrates Court on Monday.

PC Bob Prior, from North Wiltshire police intelligence, said: "This is a great victory for the people of Malmesbury. Since we took him out things have become a lot quieter in the town.

"Although sadly it is often the case that in situations like this when you take one piece out of the jigsaw someone else steps in and takes over."

According to prosecutor Michelle Hewitt, Lewis told police in his interview that he had been dealing £10 to £50 bags of cannabis for six months to youths aged between 16 and 22.

Defending, Alex Daymond said before he became involved in drugs Lewis was a man of good character. He added that his appearance in court was a result of a spectacular fall from grace, which started when his relationship with his wife broke down.

He said Lewis was originally from Canada, but he married a British woman and the couple had twins. The court heard that they moved to the UK in 1998 because his wife was homesick.

"But within a few months the relationship broke down, which started his downward spiral," Mr Daymond said.

Mr Daymond said his client was made redundant in September 2002 and it was at that point he became depressed and started using cannabis.

The magistrates said they felt they had insufficient sentencing powers to deal with the case. Lewis will be sentenced at Crown Court.