A 26-year-old Oldbury man who tried to sell one of his kidneys on the internet to clear debts of £25,000 has avoided spending time behind bars.

Daniel Tuck, of Junction Road, posted an advertisement on the internet looking for a dialysis patient to buy one of his kidneys for £24,000 after he notched up gambling debts.

Miss Helena Miller prosecuting at Wolverhampton Crown Court said the advert read: "I am a perfectly healthy man from Birmingham in England.

"I am blood group O positive and I am desperate for funds to rebuild my life.

"I want to sell me kidney - this is 100 per cent genuine.

"Why risk getting a kidney from a Third World country? You don't have to!"

Tuck admitted inviting the supply of human material for transplant and was jailed for 12 months, suspended for two years.

Judge Michael Challinor told Tuck he regarded him as a "deeply dishonest individual" and added: "There is much public disquiet surrounding the sale of body parts for money...there is understandably public revulsion at such practices."

The Judge told Tuck: "You and others like you who use the internet to make money by preying on the misfortunes of others must know they will be punished."

Tuck was arrested in an undercover operation after a man pretended to be a customer for the kidney saying his father needed a transplant.

When questioned by police Tuck told them he had not been thinking straight at the time.

He claimed it was never his intention to go through with the deal.

Mr Jas Mann defending told the court Tuck had got himself into a "financial mess" and took to gambling on a regular basis.

Mr Mann said: "What monies he earned were pumped into fruit machines.

"He was emotionally a broken man.

"When he posted the advert he did intend to go through with what he proposed.

"He had not thought about how the kidney would have been removed."

The court also heard Tuck had stolen from people close to him.

Tuck was given a 12-month supervision order, ordered to carry out 120-hours community punishment and to pay £250 costs.

The court was told it was the first ever case in the country brought against anyone under the Human Tissue Act 2004.