A drug dealer who was “lured back" into the world of crime has been jailed.

Aquib Ansar, 29, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine, possession with intent to supply cannabis, and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

Burnley Crown Court heard how on April 17, 2021, Ansar was the passenger in a vehicle that was stopped by police.

Officers used batons to smash the windows of the car then arrested, detained and searched three men inside.

Ansar, of Manchester Road, Nelson, was found with 45 bags of cannabis with a combined weight of 37 grams and totalling £415 in value.

A mobile phone was also found which contained a number of messages which underpinned what the counts Ansar was charged with.

Mitigating, Holly Nelson said Ansar’s main source of income was through cannabis dealing, and he was far less involved with the supply of cocaine.

She added it was “unfortunate” that on the day of his arrest he had become involved in the supply of cocaine.

Ms Nelson continued: “In these circumstances he was lured back into a world he knew well, seeing those around him earn money.

"The ease at which he could obtain that money was too good for him to turn down.

“He does not live a lavish lifestyle and has not benefitted from anything identifiable in these offences.

“He has moved on with his life and disassociated himself from those who lured him back into the world he knew well.”

Sentencing, Judge Andrew Jeffries said Ansar had “foolishly” become involved with “quite clearly a serious criminal drug dealer".

“I’m going to take the cocaine as the lead offence, this was plain and simple street dealing," he said.

Judge Jeffries sentenced Ansar to 45 months in prison on the count of possession with intent to supply cocaine, with the other two counts carrying two years each to run concurrently.

Ansar will serve at least half of his three years and nine months sentence in custody before being released on license.