A drug dealer who took advantage of a vulnerable person has been jailed after being caught out by a council worker.

Terry Jones was arrested after a quick-witted member of Folkestone council staff spotted suspicious activity at a sheltered housing flat.

The Folkestone and Hythe District Council worker raised concerns to local Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) after seeing a number of different people visiting the property in the Foord Road area last year.

After the PCSOs checked local CCTV and gathered evidence from residents, they became concerned that the property had been 'cuckooed'.

Cuckooing is when drug dealers use the home of a vulnerable person as a base for bringing drugs into an area to sell.

Officers carried out a warrant on April 1, 2021, and found Jones and a 15-year-old boy from south London at the property. The resident of the one-bedroom flat was not present.

Searches uncovered around 35 wraps of heroin and analysis of messages on a phone found in Jones' possession showed it had been used to arrange drug deals.

"This case shows just how valuable information brought forward from the community can be"

The 29-year-old, of Penwith Road, Wandsworth, south-west London, was arrested at the scene and later charged. The 15-year-old was also arrested and is awaiting trial.

PC Ryan Alexander, investigating officer for East Kent Criminal Investigation Department, said: 'This case shows just how valuable information brought forward from the community can be in shutting down drug dealing networks.

"I would like to praise the vigilance of the council worker who raised concerns, and the diligence of the PCSOs who followed up on what they had heard.

"I urge anyone who is worried that drug dealing may be going on in their area, or that vulnerable people are being exploited, to report it to Kent Police straight away through our website, by calling 101, or dialling 999 if a crime is in progress."

Jones, 29, was jailed for two and a half years at Canterbury Crown Court on Tuesday after he admitted being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.