A street drug dealer ordered by his bosses to “hurry up” with his deliveries was clearly not a kingpin in the supply chain, his lawyer told Bradford Crown Court.

Tony Spencer received a series of high-handed texts that proved how lowly his position was in the organisation, solicitor advocate John Bottomley argued.

Spencer, 30, of Reevy Road West, Buttershaw, Bradford, was netted in West Yorkshire Police’s Operation Swanpond that targeted drug dealers in central Bradford.

Yesterday he was jailed for a total of two years and three months and banned from driving for two years after his release from custody.

He was caught driving a red Peugeot car on Tetley Street on February 12, 2019, when he had 29 wraps of Class A drugs hidden down his trouser leg.

He was disqualified from driving and uninsured, the court was told.

The drugs stash comprised 17 wraps of crack cocaine at 89% purity and worth £167 and 12 wraps of heroin of 57% purity valued at £128.

There was £59 cash in the vehicle that was also seized by the police.

Spencer made no comment when questioned and tested positive for cocaine and opiates proving he was himself a drug user, the court heard.

He admitted the driving offences at the magistrates’ court and received a suspended jail sentence and a driving ban.

While the drugs case was coming through the courts system, Spencer was caught driving on June 29 last year while banned and uninsured.

He was at the wheel of a black Vauxhall Insignia stopped by the police outside a row of shops in Bradford. He fled on foot but was apprehended.

He pleaded guilty to two offences of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and the motoring charges.

Spencer’s record of 30 previous convictions for 37 offences included three offences of driving while disqualified, aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving and 12 breaches of court orders but nothing for drug dealing.

Mr Bottomley said he pleaded guilty to all matters at the first opportunity.

He had issues with homelessness and drug addiction.

The phones seized by the police had disclosed messages like the one to “hurry up” from Spencer’s bosses that showed he was right at the bottom of the chain.

The delay in bringing the case to court was partly down to the Covid pandemic but also to the time it had taken to analyse the drugs and phones, Mr Bottomley said.

Recorder David Gordon conceded that Spencer was in “a lowly position” in the drugs supply chain but his criminal record was “unattractive” and he had a history of disobeying court orders.

“Your addiction was exploited by others up the chain,” he told him.