A drug dealer who supplied heroin and crack cocaine from his flat has been sent to prison for three years.

Lloyd Ramsey, 39, of Chenies Close, Tunbridge Wells was caught by plain clothes officers during a suspected deal in St Mark's Road.

He was arrested on February 13 and following a search, a total of 68 wraps of Class A drugs and £130 in cash was seized from his home. A 19-year-old woman Angelica Newell was found at the flat hiding drugs inside her bra and in a tub in her pocket.

Ramsey admitted he was a heroin user during a police interview but denied being a dealer. Newell, of Denmark Hill, Camberwell, London, claimed she owed money to people and had accepted an offer from someone to be paid to travel to Tunbridge Wells and deliver drugs.

At Maidstone Crown Court, Ramsey pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

Newell admitted two counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply. She was handed a suspended sentence of 21 months and was ordered to undergo a drug rehabilitation course.

The court heard Ramsey has 26 previous convictions for 52 offences, including one for supplying drugs in 2005.

Prosecutor Bridget Todd said: “This is county lines drug operations – drugs brought from London to be supplied in Kent.”

Judge Julian Smith said Newell was a “mule effectively”, transporting the drugs to Kent.

“She is a relatively classic example of the type sent from London,” he said.

“She is told to go to Tunbridge Wells. She had been a number of times.”

Peter Alcock, for Ramsey, said the floor layer was a long-standing user of drugs, which he was addressing in prison.

Lucy Luttman, for Newell, said the teenager was brought up in a religious family, but things went “badly wrong” for her when she was 11. She started drinking and smoking cannabis.

“She lost her faith,” said Miss Luttman.

“She couldn’t understand how God could let this happen to her. Her mother threw her out. She lived on the street.

“Cocaine became a real problem. She is a young lady with absolutely no self-esteem, absolutely no self-worth.

“She had a drug debt and was told the only way to pay it off was to take drugs to Kent. She was bought a train ticket and told where to go. She was paid £60.

“She felt she had no choice. She knew it was wrong. She handed over the package and stayed in the flat.”

Miss Luttman added: “She is not asking for pity, she is asking for a chance. She has started to turn her life around.”

Judge Smith said the county lines cases were ongoing around the country, adding: “Tunbridge Wells has had more than its fair share of this kind of offending.”

He told Newell: “Things went dramatically and horrendously wrong. Your life, if not destroyed, deteriorated very dramatically. You had little hope for the future.

“There is an element of exploitation. There is pressure to be involved.”

The judge said it was “grave offending” but there was powerful mitigation.

Newell wept as he told her: “The probation service is keen to work with you. They will be able to help you.

"This is a bit of a last chance. Good luck with it all.”

Detective Sergeant Dave Higham said: "Ramsey’s home was effectively used as a safe house, from which drug deals could be organised by a network of criminals with links to London gangs. We work relentlessly to tackle both the misuse and supply of drugs in this town and our officers have extensive knowledge of known users and also the criminals who attempt to operate within our communities.

"The support we receive from residents also continues to be important in deterring dealers such as Ramsey from operating in Tunbridge Wells, so please remember to report anything that may seem suspicious."