A DRUG dealer became aggressive after police seized a wad of bank notes and a bag of white powder he had in his pocket from him.

Police had gone to Daniel Haw's home in Bankhead Road, Northallerton, to quiz him about a theft, but became suspicious when he began acting unusually.

They found £380 cash in the property and also seized the bag of white powder which was found to be half an ounce of the party drug Mephedrone, known as “M-Cat”, with a street value of £280.

Prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, Martin Towers said Haw became aggressive and whined: “How I am going to pay that off?”

The defendant explained that he had bought the drugs from a supplier and intended to sell them off to settle a debt.

Haw said the cash was money he had won from gambling, but Mr Towers said: “The Crown would say that money represents the proceeds from the sale [of drugs].”

Brian Russell, for 19-year-old Haw, who admitted possession of a Class B drug with intent to supply on March 4 this year, said he had been funding his own habit by selling drugs.

He said Haw was of previous good character.

Haw breathed a sigh of relief from the dock as Judge Tony Briggs told him he was suspending a nine-month jail sentence for two years.

There would also be a supervision requirement of 12 months and 100 hours unpaid work to carry out.

The judge told the defendant: “It is a pity that the energy that you have devoted to this particular matter is not chanelled in more useful ways.”

The drugs were ordered to be destroyed.