A BOLTON man who took to drug dealing to pay off debts from his cannabis use has been jailed for 27 months.

Bolton Crown Court heard Mohammed Galgalo 23, was spotted in a vehicle in January 2019 in the early hours and pulled over by the police. He ran off but was detained a short while later.

On being searched officers found cocaine, heroin and sums of cash on him.

He confessed to having the substances with the intention of dealing them and possessing money from criminal activities.

Prosecutor Joseph Hart said activities on one of his mobile phones showed he was dealing drugs.

He said: “Drugs were found in snap bags, cocaine was found in Kinder Eggs. The total value of the drugs was £752.

“He was also found with £415 in cash, he was searched, two mobile phones were found and a further £105 in cash.”

He said three more phones were found at his home on Morrison Street in Bolton and messages saying “chronic high on until late Saturday, tens and twenties".

Defence counsel Nick Ross asked for his client to be spared jail.

He said: “There are many positive aspects of this young man. He is a low risk of reoffending, he has stayed out of trouble for the last two years.

“He works at a warehouse in sports supplies in the Rochdale area. He ticks all the boxes that would suggest suspension.

“The impact on him and his family should he be incarcerated would be formidable.”

He went on to explain that he played a supportive role to his parents and said Galgalo had pleaded guilty when delays due to administrative difficulties would have put the matter off for another year.

But Judge Timothy Stead said: “You came under some pressure to sell drugs...in order to raise the funds to deal with your debts. Of course you had a choice, pressure or not.”