Leeds Crown Court heard Stephen Souter, 27, of Hainsworth Court in Farsley left the army after eight years suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

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He became addicted to drugs and started selling cocaine to friends to feed his habit.

The police searched his home on January 25 and found 500 grams of cocaine with a street value of £3,200 and four ecstasy tablets.

Souter told the police he had been selling drugs for around six months and made around £450 per week profit.

Nigel Edwards for Souter said he was a former top army cadet who was progressing through the ranks until he became ill.

Mr Edwards said: "The effects on this young man of his tours of duty in the Balkans, Afghanistan and Northern Ireland took its toll.

"Being a party to recovering mass graves in the Balkans had an effect and a toll was taken on him."

Mr Edwards said Souter had not had any help from the authorities and was "cut adrift" in main stream society.

Judge Ian Dobkin handed Souter a 12 months jail sentence suspended for two years and ordered him to undergo a drug rehabilitation programme. The judge said Souter's was an exceptional case adding: "I should send you to prison today, you have come as close as anybody for an offence for which you should go to prison.

"The background to your personal life in recent years has made me take a different course altogether."

Souter had admitted possessing cocaine with intent to supply and possessing ecstasy for his own use.