A 16-year-old boy was sent to Carlisle as part of a “county lines” drug running operation run by London gangsters.

At Carlisle Crown Court, 48-year-old Peter Kenney, the grandfather who allowed the teenager to stay at his home in the city during the operation, was jailed for seven years for his part in the plot.

The 16-year-old was arrested on May 22 after he was seen leaving Kenney’s Eldon Drive flat in Harraby.

In his rucksack, police found £1,500 cash - money he claimed was from the sale of electronic equipment.

But Judge Peter Davies said the cash was actually the proceeds of around 90 heroin and crack cocaine deals, completed during the teenager’s six-day stay in Carlisle.

After the boy’s arrest.police raided Kenney’s home and found him taking heroin.

He claimed he had merely offered the boy a place to stay, and had no knowledge of the drug supply plot.

The boy later admitted conspiring to supply class A drugs.

But Kenney denied the same offence, insisting he had no idea the teenager was involved in a drugs supply operation. Despite that denial, he was convicted after a trial.

Prosecutor Brendan Burke said the London gangsters used “text bombs” to Carlisle addicts to advertise that heroin and crack cocaine were available.

London criminals sent the boy to stay with Kenney, - a grandfather to six. Initially his reward was heroin. But Kenney became “more enthusiastically involved”, said Mr Burke. The defendant had two previous drugs supply convictions, and 180 crimes on his record.

“He understands his long-term drug addiction has led to the situation he is now in,” said Paul Tweddle, defending. Judge Davies said he was involved in a drug “trafficking crusade”.