A TEENAGER who left college to get a job ended up turning to drug dealing because he ‘couldn’t handle the rigours of full-time work’.

Burnley Crown Court heard how police pulled over 19-year-old Hassnain Mohammed Arif in North Valley Road, Colne, on January 8.

Prosecuting, Stephen Parker said: “The defendant was the sole occupant of the vehicle. As officers went to speak to him they noticed a plastic tub between his legs. They believed that it contained drugs. A further package was recovered from his trousers.”

The court heard officers found 3.49 grams of heroin and 5.33 grams of crack cocaine.

Mr Parker said the total street value of the drugs, which were packed in £10 wraps, was £1,000.

The court heard that Arif of Meadowbank Avenue, Allerton, Bradford, had been paid to deliver the drugs from West Yorkshire to Pendle.

He pleaded guilty to possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply. But it was on the basis he didn’t know how the drugs were packaged or what the street value was. Arif also said he didn’t know the man who had paid him to transport the drugs but he had seen him around the area he lived before.

Defending, Ricky Holland said: “The defendant has turned 19 while he has been in custody. He is still very young. That is something I invite your honour to attribute a great deal of consideration to.

“My client left school because he wanted to start work. The rigours of full-time work proved too much. He has been quite profoundly effected by custody and offers to te court assurances that he doesn’t intend to be involved in this line of work, or any criminality, again.”

Judge Jonathan Gibson sentenced Arif to 24 months in a young offenders institution.

Judge Gibson said: “This was a serious incident involving Class A drugs. It seems to me an immediate sentence of custody is required.”

Arif must pay the statutory surcharge to fund victim services.

A forfeiture and destruction was made for the crack cocaine and heroin.