A BRADFORD drug dealer who a judge said "preyed on people" has been jailed for five years.

Muhammad Saleem, aged 27, of Heath Road, Undercliffe, Bradford, was found guilty of two charges of possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin when he and Leanne Kadri, 23, of Roseberry Street, Birmingham, were caught carrying out a drug deal three years ago in Bradford.

The drug deal, which was carried out on April 4, 2019, in Manningham, saw Saleem peddling 4.9 grammes of crack cocaine, and two measurements, 0.39 grammes and 0.28 grammes of heroin.

"This has the hallmark of street dealing," said Judge Jonathan Rose.

Saleem's defence counsel told the court: "He understands the situation he's put himself into. He's been in gainful employment for three years. His mother has cancer, diabetes and other illnesses. He's the sole carer for her."

Saleem had previous convictions for dealing Class A drugs and dangerous driving in 2014, which resulted in him being jailed for four years.

His defence counsel said he had a difficult time in prison. He was stabbed in prison in 2014 and smashed with a kettle in 2017.

"Clearly throughout, he has suffered from mental health problems - depression and anxiety - problems which will only be exacerbated by further incarceration.

"Since 2019 he has focused on his family. He has a girlfriend who is going to uni and a mother who he provides for.

"He fully understands the serious nature of his offending and we ask to keep the sentence as short as possible."

Judge Rose said: "You were a drug dealer several years ago and that was the right sentence at the time. You found your sentence difficult, but the problem is you learned absolutely nothing from it.

"You thought you could make some easy money from people who have a drug addiction. You prey on people.

"You also preyed on Leanne Kadri who would not have been involved in this offending if it was not on your behalf.

"I'm sentencing you to five years of imprisonment and you'll have to pay a victim surcharge as well."

Addressing Kadri who faced the same charges, Judge Rose said: "Yours is a wholly different case. You've not troubled the courts before but you brought this on yourself by making very poor choices in the company you keep.

"It was a foolish, foolish thing to deny your involvement in this. Your were very much helping out Mr Saleem."

Judge Rose added: "I'm sentencing you two years of imprisonment which is suspended.

"You messed up very badly. You're not getting away with it - you're getting punished with 200 hours of unpaid work."