A low-level street dealer made swift admissions when police caught him in the act apparently trying to sell drugs outside a night spot, a court heard.

Jordan Todd was spoken to by police on patrol as he was seen on his mobile phone after approaching four women outside the venue in Peterlee, late on March 19, 2022.

Although he tried to run off, he was soon detained and found to be in possession of £50 plus six “deal bags” of cocaine.

Durham Crown Court heard that he was asked if he had been attempting to sell drugs he told the officers: “I was trying to, but it’s not happened. You know what I’m trying to do.”

The Northern Echo: Durham Crown Court heard that defendant Jordan Todd sold cocaine to 'circle of 13 friends'

Police recovered a further £1,280 in cash, a box of white powder and other snap bags, in a search of his home address.

The values of the 12 deals which the cocaine would have made up was put at between £320 and £350.

Read more: Ferryhill drug dealer jailed after cocaine and heroin seized

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said Todd was in possession of mobile phone which revealed messages from 13 different people that were indicative of drug dealing.

On fuller examination of seized phones there were 390 similar messages, and it emerged payment was to be made from some of the purchasers directly into his bank.

The messages ended following his arrest but those checked revealed that from January 1 last year and March 19, 13 people in his "circle" had been in touch with him apparently about drugs.

Tony Davis, representing Todd, said they were not “random” people, but those who were, “known to him”.

Mr Sabiston said: “The Crown does accept there were 13 regular customers.

“We can’t prove any more, but we would say there was a degree of benefit.

“He said it was to pay off debt.”

The 24-year-old defendant, of Cotsford Park Estate, Horden, admitted possession with intent to supply class A drugs on March 19, last year, and offering to supply, between January 6 and March 19, 2022.

Read more: Crook cocaine dealer ordered to pay £185k in crime proceeds

Mr Davis questioned whether the defendant could be considered to have made, “significant financial advantage”, from his enterprise.

“He was plunged into debt because of his own use. The reality is, it was a fairly modest amount of £1,280 accumulated.”

Mr Davis supplied several character testimonials to the court on the defendant’s behalf, which he said pointed to Todd having led, “a blameless existence” before or after the period of his offending, with no previous convictions.

“He’s in full-time employment and he has caring responsibilities with his family.

“One of the effects of being in these circumstances is that he’s completely withdrawn from use of illegal substances and no longer distributes small amounts to his friends.”

Judge Jo Kidd told Todd: “I hope you were coming to court today thinking you were going to prison.

“What probably seemed funny when you were 18 and taking your first line of cocaine and continued on a weekend with friends has spiralled to this.

“It doesn’t take much to spiral from that to having to supply to pay your drug debt.

“You were lucky to have been arrested when you were because people find it impossible to get out of that situation and what begins at one level spirals to people driving round the country and picking up kilos of cocaine and facing sentences in excess of seven years.

“I probably should send you to prison, but I’m not going to today because I actively hope you have the intelligence, work ethic and the support of people around you to make sure you do not have to set foot inside this court again.”

She said for that reason she would “take the unusual course” and “draw back” from passing an immediate prison sentence due to that, “work ethic and genuine remorse”.

Read next:

Get the latest news, sport and entertainment delivered straight to your device for £3 for three months. Click here.

Judge Kidd imposed a 24-month prison sentence, suspended for two years, during which he must complete 150-hours’ unpaid work, undergo ten rehabilitation activity days with the Probation Service and observe an eight-month 7pm to 5am electronically-monitored home curfew.

Todd must also pay £535 costs, at the rate of £250 per month.

Judge Kidd warned Todd that if he breached the order in any way he would have to serve the two-year prison sentence.