THREE teenage cannabis dealers were exploited by others further up the drug supply chain, York Magistrates Court heard.

Stephen Robert Claxton, Joel Elliott Marsh and Spencer Thatcher, now all 18, were caught with cannabis in Eversley Park, Sherburn-in-Elmet, on August 17 last year.

The court heard police found evidence on mobile phones they had been dealing, even though Claxton refused to give police the PIN number of his mobile phone.

All three admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply. None had previous convictions.

District judge Adrian Lower said had they been 18 when they were arrested, he would have sent them to the crown court where they would have faced prison sentences of between six months and three years each.

“I don’t think it is a big stretch to imagine you probably had been selling drugs to other people before that (August 17),” he said.

He said young people who take cannabis could find themselves in debt to drug dealers and forced to deal themselves.

“The dealers …..realise if they put themselves at one step removed from the people who are going to deal on the street on their behalf they can continue to make money while other people take the risk of getting caught and prosecuted and convicted as a result.

“I think this is exactly what has happened in your case.”

Claxton of Highfields Villas, Marsh of Carr Avenue, and Thatcher, of Springfield Road, all of Sherburn-in-Elmet, were each given 12-month community orders and ordered to do 250 hours’ unpaid work. Claxton was ordered to do 30 days’ rehabilitative activities and the other two 20 days’ each.

Solicitors for all three criticised the time taken for the case to come to court, saying if it had been shorter, all three would have been before the youth court where they could have received referral orders and their crimes would not have counted as convictions.

The district judge said there was no “obvious reason” for the delay. Julian Tanikal for the prosecution said Claxton’s refusal to provide his PIN may be an explanation.

All three solicitors said the teenagers were now doing their best to lead law-abiding lives.