A DRUG dealer took cocaine worth up to £1,700 with him when he answered bail at York Police Station on an unrelated matter, York Crown Court heard.

Martyn Nathan Healey was accompanied by Paul James Acton who was also dealing in the Class A drug. Both men were carrying mobile phones with incriminating text messages on them, said Robert Stevenson, prosecuting.

At the station, an officer asked Healey to give him his phone for investigation. Noticing Healey’s hand shaking as he handed over his mobile and his failed attempt to remove the SIM card, the policeman had Healey strip searched.

Healey was found to be in possession of 44.5g of cocaine and another SIM card was hidden in his boxer shorts. The drug was worth between £1,110 if bought in bulk and £1,760 in street value. Healey also had £420 in cash on him.

Police arrested both men and found texts on both their phones showing they had been dealing in the drug.

Healey, 23, of Don Avenue, Dringhouses, pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine with intent to supply on September 20 and Acton, 23, of Keyway, Fulford, to four charges of offering to supply of cocaine between September 9 and 14 last year.

“It is plain both of you were part of the supply chain,” Recorder Guy Kearl QC told them.

“You must both understand that people who supply Class A drugs go to prison.”

He gave both 12 month jail terms suspended for two years with conditions. Healey must do 12 months’ supervision and nine months drug rehabilitation. Acton must do 200 hours’ unpaid work. For Healey, Adam Birkby said his client had been a drug user since he was 12.

But his drug use escalated until he could not fund it through his work, so he started selling to a small group of friends. Since his arrest, he had been trying to kick drugs.

For Acton, Andrew Semple said he and his friends naively thought that taking cocaine socially on a weekly basis was different from being a Class A drug addict.

Acton only sold to his friends and had nothing to do with Healey’s drug dealing. He was very upset Healey’s actions led to his arrest, the court was told.