A convicted crack dealer caught with a kitchen knife in his car will be sent back to Jamaica after serving five years in jail, the Old Bailey heard on Friday.

Illegal immigrant Joseph Barrett, 37, came to the UK in 2000 and had been working as a mechanic from his Battersea home, in Hemans Street, despite not having a driving licence.

On March 16 he was pulled over by police while driving through Brixton.

He was arrested, but later released on bail, after officers found 2.65g of powder containing cocaine, which had been split into 12 wraps, and a 20cm kitchen knife.

Less than a week later he was again caught red-handed.

Police stopped him while driving along Christchurch Road in Colliers Wood, and found 30 white rocks of crack cocaine with a street value of £600.

During the trial last month Barratt claimed he did not know what the rocks were and said he often lent his car to people.

But despite telling police "any number of people" could have planted the drugs, the Jamaican was convicted of all the charges.

Judge David Paget QC jailed Barrett for five years and recommended he be deported at the end of his sentence.

The judge said: "You are here illegally and your continued presence must be a detriment to this country.

"You came to this country in 2000, you were living here illegally and were working as a mobile motor mechanic although you only held a provisional driving licence.

"I have no reason to doubt you are a confident driver but that misses the point.

"Driving uninsured and without a licence puts other members of the public at risk in the event of an accident."