A FATHER of three caught with a wrap of heroin has escaped jail.

Ali Yaqubi, of Kent Street, Southampton, was arrested by police in June who found he was in possession with a gram of the class A drug.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Yaqubi, of no previous convictions, accepted it was for his own use.

Richard Martin, defending, said Yaqubi held down jobs until 2010 and has “managed to live a relatively useful life”.

He said: “He’s one of the examples of people with drug problems but is not being dragged wholly down by them.

“He is still a committed family man and lost his job through no part of his own.”

Sentencing him to a supervision requirement with a community order of six months, Judge Gary Burrell QC said: “At the age of 39, for some reason that no one knows except you probably, you decided to take heroin.

“Heroin kills people eventually – I am sure you know.

“You have no previous convictions and you have worked hard in the past.

“This is your chance. If you don’t take it then bad things will happen.”