A teenager who resorted to drug-dealing to help his struggling mother with household bills has been locked up for two years and eight months.

Mustafa Hussein was armed with a knife when caught with 70 wraps containing heroin and cocaine close to a primary school in Tunbridge Wells.

His lawyer submitted there were exceptional circumstances for imposing an suspended sentence.

But a judge said he was under a duty to pass a deterrent sentence.

“The mitigation is your young age and misguided attempt to attempt to help your mother,” he added. “Previous good character carries little weight.”

Maidstone Crown Court heard police officers sitting in an unmarked car noticed the 19-year-old talking to two known drug users in Powder Mill Lane in High Brooms on September 27.

When the officers got out of the car, Hussein began to run, but he was caught and arrested.

He was in possession of a large quantity of drugs - 46 wraps of heroin and 24 of cocaine, said prosecutor Bridget Todd.

A lock knife was in his pocket.

Miss Todd said the value of the drugs was between £1,440 and £1,940.

A probation officer said Hussein told him his mother was working two jobs and money was tight in the household.

One of four children, he wanted to be able to support the family and was told of a way of making money.

He took the packages from where he lived in Newnham, east London, to Kent. He was also handed the knife and a mobile phone.

Asked about his involvement in the drugs trade, he said they “poisoned society”.

“He said he would receive £500 a week to carry out this work, as he put it,” said the probation officer. “His idea was to receive the money and not associated with this person again."

Charlotte Brewer, defending, said Hussein, who admitted possessing the drugs with intent to supply, had dropped out of college to support his mother, who was £3,000 in arrears with rent.

“I am not seeking to excuse of justify his behaviour for one moment,” she said. “He acknowledges what he did is wrong. This is the biggest mistake of his life.

“He is not now able to help his mother. He was offered a quick fix solution. He was caught at his most vulnerable point in his life.

“He was being paid to take a bag of drugs from one place to another. I submit it is an exceptional case where an immediate custodial sentence would achieve only utter devastation for him.”

Judge Charles McDonald QC told Hussein the aggravating feature of the case was having the knife.

“Being a drug dealer on the street, to carry a knife carries an inherent risk of violence,” he added.