A teenager with previous convictions for drugs played a prominent role in organising a “county lines" dealing operation, a court heard.

Emmanuel Mukokilli was sentenced to more than three years youth custody after admitting being concerned in supplying heroin and cocaine and conspiracy to supply them.

Maidstone Crown Court was told he was involved in an operation called Bingo after he owed organisers a “debt” following his release from a 12-month sentence for dealing Class A drugs.

He was part of a so-called county lines dealing ring, which sees gangs of dealers in major cities spread their operation into distant towns and rural areas through a network of local contacts, often young people.

Police were called to an address in Chatham in December last year and found Mukokilli and a man hiding behind a skip. They had wraps containing 1.7g of heroin and 0.26g of cocaine.

They also had £602, a machete and a phone which rang repeatedly with callers wanting to buy drugs.

Mukokilli, 19, gave a false name on arrest and his link to the operation was not established until May this year when two women, one with drugs hidden inside her body, were arrested.

Prosecutor Antony Hook said the ringing phone in their car showed the caller ID as Bingo.

"This was a codename or alias for a drug supply line prevalent in the Medway area," he said.

"That telephone evidence suggested he had a significant role in organising the supply of drugs into the Medway area..." - prosecutor Antony Hook

"The number being called from was a phone registered in the alias used by Mukokilli.

"The phone contained a lot of texts from Mukokilli's phone discussing aspects of drug supply, making payment to people and arranging for people to carry drugs.

"That telephone evidence suggested he had a significant role in organising the supply of drugs into the Medway area.

"He also had pictures and videos of people with large amounts of drugs, wrapping material and other paraphernalia - further evidence of his significant role."

He was first convicted of drug dealing in February 2016, and in January last year he was given a youth rehabilitation order for his second offence of possession with intent.

Sentencing him to three years and four months, Judge Adele Williams said those involved in such drug operations could only expect deterrent sentences.

"Class A drugs have the capability to create havoc in people's lives, usually young people's lives," she added.

Lucy Sweetland, defending, said Mukokilli's previous conviction was the root of his latest offending.

"He was the subject of pressure by others further up the chain, and it was those same people involved in the 2016 offence for which he was arrested and incarcerated," she said.

"When he got out they took the view he owed them a debt and threats were made towards his family.

"His mother lives alone and is not in good health, and that caused the defendant real fear. He was susceptible to those threats and was himself of no fixed abode having had to leave his home."

Miss Sweetland added that since being remanded in custody, Mukokilli, from Plaistow, east London, was studying his GCSEs and aimed to get his life under control.