A STUDENT arrested for possessing thousands of pounds worth of drugs following the death of a trainee doctor has been spared a jail sentence.

Alex Pearson was caught with Ecstasy, cannabis and a legal designer drug after he called an ambulance when his best pal Doug Ferguson fell ill at a house in Chandler’s Ford last summer.

Mr Ferguson, a 19-year-old first year medical student from Chandler’s Ford, later died.

Initial post-mortem results have proved inconclusive.

Prosecutor Carolyn Branford-Wood said Mr Ferguson became ill at the Heathfield Road home of Pearson’s parents, who were away at the time.

An ambulance was called along with police who questioned Pearson.

Miss Branford-Wood said: “One must say to his credit he spontaneously makes a comment to police that brings about a search of the loft space.”

A small amount of “legal highs” were found along with skunk cannabis, Ecstasy worth £1,875 and £680 in cash.

When police raided his student digs in Uxbridge, where he attended Brunel University, they discovered 39 grammes of cannabis, worth £225, as well as digital weighing scales.

Miss Branford-Wood said Pearson told police he was dealing to friends to pay off debts.

Pearson, from Chandler’s Ford, pleaded guilty to possessing class A and class B drugs with intent to supply.

The court heard there was no link between Pearson’s drug possession and Mr Ferguson’s death on Wednesday, June 27 last year.

Mark Ashley, defending, said his client was a first time offender who had begun to dabble in drugs.

But he said on the night of Mr Ferguson falling ill, Pearson had called an ambulance for his friend despite knowing he would be in trouble with the police.

Since then, he said Pearson has stayed clear of drugs.

In fact on 19 separate occasions the student, who has now finished his course, had tested negative for illegal substances.

A letter was passed to the judge from a university tutor, detailing how Pearson had knuckled down to his degree and scored highly in his studies since the death of his friend and his arrest.

Pearson was ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid community work and comply with a six-month supervision order.

The family of Mr Ferguson described the trainee doctor as a “fun-loving,popular young man who liked to live life to the full”.

Dozens of his friends gathered at Hiltingbury Recreation Ground in the aftermath of his death to light candles and release Chinese lanterns in his memory.

Mr Ferguson was a former student at Peter Symonds College in Winchester and Thornden School in Chandler’s Ford, and a first year medical student at Bristol University.

The Mid-Hampshire coroner, based at Winchester, is currently investigating Doug’s death but a date for his inquest has not yet been set.