Teenager was found with drugs worth £12k
sion with intent to supply the Class A drugs cocaine and ecstasy and Class B cannabis.
Philip Tully, defending, said his client was 16 at the time of the offences, has no previous relevant convictions and had not offended since.
He said the DNA and fingerprints found were limited to superficial contact on some of the food bags used for packing.
Mr Tully added his client said his involvement had been for a limited amount of time, and this was because he ‘became addicted to cannabis and ran up a debt he couldn’t cancel’.
He described the boy as ‘vulnerable’ and said the iPhone was ‘clearly someone else’s phone’.
Judge Simon Berkson said the charges were too serious to avoid custody but he granted him credit for his guilty pleas and his age.
He sentenced the teenager to an 18-month detention and training order, the first half of which will be spent in custody unless he offends again during the 18 months in which case he will served the full 18 months detained.
The boy had entered previously entered guilty pleas on a basis that the prosecution rejected and the case was due to be thrashed out in a Newton hearing over the defendant’s claims but he relented to the facts as set out by the Crown.
Sentencing the teenager, Judge Berkson said: “You didn’t persist with your account and accepted the prosecution’s case that you intended to supply for financial gain the large amount of drugs in your house and this was not a small operation.
“The drugs were worth over £10,000, in your family home, with hundreds of pounds of cash.
“You were only 16 at the time, I ● must have regard to your age at the time.”
He added: “You come from a good home, and unluckily your problems with cannabis led to your involvement with more serious drugs.
“I have no doubt you are petrified of a custodial sentence.
“However, I have to have regard to the guidelines, I also have regard to your welfare.”
Prosecutor Mr King said a legal order was in place prohibiting the publication of the youth’s identity and address. The court was unable to produce a copy of the order on request.