A TEENAGER who was sent to Carlisle by criminals as part of a “county lines” drug dealing operation has been jailed.

James Kieran Dobson was 19 when police caught him red handed as he and a younger accomplice were trying to sell heroin and crack cocaine to addicts in the grounds of Carlisle Cathedral, the city’s crown court heard.

Now aged 20, he has admitted four offences: offering to supply heroin and crack cocaine and possessing the two drugs with intent to supply.

Prosecutor Olivia Beesley outlined how police became aware that “text-bomb” marketing messages were being sent to drug users across the Carlisle area. The messages were offering “low prices” for the sale of both class A drugs.

Some of text messages referred to meetings that were to happen in parts of Currock, Raffles and in the city centre.

The police investigation revealed also how, on January 22, criminals who were associated with messages and the dealing operation – controlled by somebody called Frankie – were in Carlisle.

When police arrived in the area near to the Cathedral, they immediately saw a number of known drug users – as well as two suspects.

"Detectives located [the defendant and his accomplice] togther, loitering behind some large wooden gates and both had man-bags and waterproof jackets with their hoods pulled up," said Miss Beesley.

When one plain clothes officer approached the duo, they initially mistook him for an addict but when the officer identified himself the two men tried to flee.

Dobson was caught a short time later in nearby Bitts Park. He had discarded his distinctive black North Face jacket, but it was found by police. The man-bag he had been carrying was not found.

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The youth’s bag was searched and officers found it contained 18 wraps of crack cocaine, each worth £5, as well as heroin. He was also carrying a kitchen knife and a phone.

The total value of the drugs recovered was £1,176. A takeaway food receipt led officers to the home of a vulnerable Carlisle heroin addict on the night of January 6.

Anthony Parkinson, defending, said Dobson was only 19 when he was sent to Carlisle from his home in Fleetwood, Lancashire. Addicted to cannabis from the age of 14, he began his career in crime in 2017 shortly after starting to use drugs.

The barrister said: “He’s got to the point in his life where something has to change – otherwise he’s going to be in and out of prison for the rest of his life.”

Dobson had told a probation officer that he wants to change and while in jail he had taken up horticultural training. He also hoped to after his release to have counselling to tackle his drug use.

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Dobson admitted his guilt on the basis that he was himself using class A drugs and agreed to come to Carlisle to supply heroin and crack cocaine so that he could finance his addiction.

“I do not plead duress or assert that I was put under significant pressure to do this,” he added.

Recorder Andrew Nuttall told Dobson: “You were 19 at the time and you have reflected on the fact that you are getting older and recognise that unless you change you will continue to go to prison.”

He jailed the defendant for 27 months. The youth who was involved, from the Sheffield area, and whose identity is protected by law, was sentenced on an earlier occasion.

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