A FIFTEEN-YEAR-OLD drug dealer caught running a ‘county lines’ operation in Oxfordshire has been locked up.

The teenager, who is from Wolverhampton and cannot be named for legal reasons, had already admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs – heroin and cocaine.

Oxford Crown Court heard at his sentencing yesterday that when police first stopped him acting suspiciously near Edward Street, Banbury, on January 8 he was caught with 248 wraps of drugs on his person.

On searching him, police found that he had 52 wraps of heroin and 196 wraps of cocaine as well as £140.37 in cash.

The court heard the teenager also had a string of previous offences including for robbery and battery when he was just 12 years-old.

In mitigation, his defence team said that he had shown a degree of ‘loyalty’ amongst local West Midlands gangs.

Sentencing Judge Ian Pringle QC said: “You are 15 years of age and this is incredibly your 13th criminal appearance and conviction.

“At a young age, from the age of 12, you started to involve yourself with criminal offending and you have a stark choice.

“You are either going to spend most of your life in prison coming in and out or you are going to make something of your life, and you have potential to do so.”

He was given an 18-month detention and training order and made subject to a criminal behaviour order in effect for two years.

Drug dealer,15, was caught with 248 ‘deals’