Alan Roberts, 32, of Whiskey Creek Road, Nullawarre, pleaded guilty in Warrnambool Magistrates Court to drug trafficking.

It was the third time in 15 months he had faced court on similar charges.

Lawyer George Balot said Roberts was a New Zealand national who faced deportation if sentenced to a term of imprisonment longer than 12 months.

He said his client picked up an "insidious" ice addition after a relationship break down in 2017.

Roberts told the court he didn't want to go back to jail or touch the drug ice "ever again".

Magistrate Franz Holzer told the man he wasn't forced to be a drug dealer. He sentenced him to 12 months' jail with a non-parole period of six months.

Outside the court, Roberts' lawyer said his client was remorseful and "very grateful for his honour's merciful sentence".

In May last year Roberts was jailed for three months for trafficking methamphetamine. Not long after his release he was caught dealing ice again and spent a further three months in custody on remand before being released on a 12-month corrections order on October 3.

That corrections order was ongoing when he was intercepted by police driving a 2008 Holden Astra Coupe on Warrnambool's Mortlake Road on August 29 this year.

Roberts, who was accompanied by an associate, appeared nervous and the vehicle was subsequently searched.

Police located in the car 82.99 grams of ice, believed to be worth up to $50,000.

The vehicle, which police believed Roberts drove to Geelong to purchase drugs, was seized.

An analysis of his mobile phone revealed messages referring to the buying and selling of drugs.

Roberts initially denied the offending, stating the drugs belonged to his associate and the text messages referred to the purchase of gold, which he intended to turn into a gold bar.

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