A BRADFORD drug dealer caught three times peddling heroin and crack cocaine on the city’s streets has been jailed for four and a half years.

Sajid Mahmood, 31, of Parkside Road, West Bowling, was twice arrested and bailed but carried on plying his “wicked trade,” Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday.

He was joined on his third expedition by former Bradford University business studies student, Murtaza Ali, 21, of Marten Road, Canterbury, Bradford.

In what the judge described as “a troubling case,” Ali was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, with a community order, a rehabilitation activity requirement, a six-month curfew and a drug rehabilitation requirement.

Mahmood pleaded guilty to possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply on January 5, March 7 and April 3 this year, and supplying heroin on January 5.

MORE TOP STORIES

Ali admitted possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply on April 3.

Prosecutor Alisha Kaye said Mahmood was caught dealing from a Vauxhall Corsa at 10am on January 5. His car was blocked in by the police after they watched him sell a wrap of heroin to an addict.

Mahmood, who had 15 wraps of drugs with him, said he owed his dealer up to £5,000 and was making about £2,000 a day selling heroin and crack cocaine.

He was on bail on March 7 when he was seen drug dealing from a grey Audi at 3.30pm in the Great Horton area. He had 33 wraps of drugs with him and told officers he was dealing to fund a £150-a-day addiction.

Again charged and bailed, Mahmood was arrested with Ali at 5.30pm on April 3. The pair were in a Ford Focus with 39 wraps of Class A drugs and £205 in cash. A dealer list was seized from Ali’s home.

Mahmood told the police he was dealing for the “Tom line.”

Anne-Marie Hutton, Mahmood’s barrister, said he was low down the supply chain. The father of two children, he ran up a debt he could not cope with.

Emma Downing, for Ali, said he had to leave his university course after he became ill. He had the offer of a job as an assistant gardener.

Judge Peter Benson told Mahmood: “This was persistent supplying of Class A drugs on the streets of Bradford, which is a wicked trade.”