A NAIVE street drug dealer, working with a supplier who later died, has been jailed for two and a half years.

Bradford Crown Court was told today that Mohammed Kasam, 20, had fallen in with the wrong crowd after his elder brother died of cancer.

Kasam's barrister, Abdul Shakoor, said the death of his client's brother had a profound impact on him and he began to associate with people involved in drugs to get away from the situation.

Kasam, of Cliffe Street, Keighley, pleaded guilty to supplying crack cocaine, possessing crack and heroin with intent to supply, and possessing criminal property.

Prosecutor Paul Nicholson told the court that police were on patrol in Keighley town centre in May last year when they saw a young woman drug user make a short phone call and then wait across the road. A green Ford Fiesta pulled up and she was beckoned over by Kasam, who was the passenger. She got in the back of the car, and the police swooped.

The woman dropped crack cocaine to the ground.

Kasam and the car driver were detained. Four wraps of crack cocaine and one of heroin were found in the car. Kasam was in possession of a mobile phone, which had text messages indicating drug dealing, and more than £700 in cash.

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Mr Nicholson said the man driving the car had since died.

The court heard the defendant had a previous conviction for possessing drugs, but none for drug dealing.

Mr Shakoor said Kasam had started associating with the wrong people and ended up being involved in drugs, and the supply of drugs. He said his client had known the car driver since school and the other man was six or seven years older.

Mr Shakoor said: "He accepts he was voluntarily involved, though he was influenced by others around him.

"This is a young man who had a promising future, well educated and with a decent family."

He said the death of the other man had made his client aware of the risks involved in such criminal behaviour.

Judge Peter Benson told Kasam he was taking into account that he had been involved by another person, there was an element of naivety, he was only 20 and he had pleaded guilty.

But he added: "You were in it to make money. This was a commercial operation. Because of the financial motivation I view your role as a significant one."