A teenage drug dealer who "had no regard to the trail of destruction" he left has been warned to change his circle of friends after being jailed for four years.

Femi Dadey, of Bath Road, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin between December 3 and January 24. It is estimated his drugs line had illegally accrued more than £30,000 over that nine-week period.

Dadey was facing seven years behind bars because this was his third Class A drugs offence in two years. But Swindon Crown Court heard how Dadey had been “exploited” from the age of 14 and this was a key factor behind why he was only sentenced to four years.

Dadey sent bulk text messages to 93 drug users advertising heroin and cocaine on a Nokia phone. 

Police found this phone in a pillowcase next to his personal mobile phone when they arrested him in his accommodation back on January 24.

Along with the Nokia, police seized £4,500 of designer clothes, around £2,000 cash and drugs paraphernalia.

There was evidence that Dadey was preparing drugs at the property.  

A defendant aged 18 or over who has two or more previous convictions for Class A drug trafficking offences faces a minimum sentence of seven years in prison.

But Dadey’s defence counsel Leanne Ballato argued that the defendant was a juvenile when he committed his first two offences. 

In March 2020, 17-year-old Dadey was convicted of supplying heroin and crack cocaine and possessing a bladed article in a public place. 

Later that year, he was stabbed in the leg, arm and abdomen in Toothill Village Centre and when paramedics cut his clothing free, nine drug wraps were found.

The court heard how the 19-year-old had been previously identified as one of a group of young children being used to carry drugs around Reading and Leicester.

“There was a degree of exploitation. He was being pressured and forced to undertake things. There is most certainly enough evidence to say that was existing,” Ms Ballato added.

Judge Jason Taylor QC agreed and noted that the exploitation “should be reflected” particularly when Dadey was in his “formative years”.

He added: “Your first two offences resulted in a non-custodial sentence. The jump from those [sentences] to seven years is far too great.” 

However, Judge Taylor stressed the seriousness of the offences, saying that Dadey had shown an “undeterred determination to deal drugs".

Addressing Dadey, who appeared by video link from HMP Bullingdon, he said: “It was a classic drug dealing offence. 

“You had no regard to the trail of destruction you were leaving behind in your wake. It is not your first time in trouble.

“You are now on very thin ice. You need to change your circle of friends and choose a different path in life.”

On the sentencing, Detective Sergeant Joe Shanklin said: “Dadey had earned thousands of pounds from his “business”, living a lifestyle he would never have been able to afford legally.

“I am pleased that he has been given a four year sentence in a young offenders institute, and that this drugs line has been disrupted. 

“Anyone who thinks they can run drugs lines under the police radar here in Swindon should think again – we will continue to target individuals like Dadey who offend in our county.”

Dadey was sentenced to four years in a young offender institute on April 1 for being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs and possessing criminal property.