A TEENAGER who hid crack cocaine down his boxer shorts has been spared jail.

Ehsan Hussain was spotted by police near the play area of Green Lane park in Banbury on September 26 last year.

Oxford Crown Court heard yesterday from prosecutor Jonathan Stone that a drug enforcement officer had seen ‘four adults’ as well as a 'known drug user' heading towards them.

When the group realised police were there they ran but were later caught.

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Mr Stone said when Hussain, who lives on Fairway, Banbury, was searched he admitted he had 49 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin on him, stuffed down his boxer shorts, with an estimated value of around £400.

A mobile phone with messages associated with dealing was also found near where he was arrested.

Mr Stone said during an interview with a probation officer ahead of sentencing the 19-year-old, ‘frankly’ admitted he had become involved in county lines drug dealing to pay off debt from his heroin addiction.

In mitigation, Andrew Baker said Hussain had no previous convictions and was ‘always going to be the fall guy’ for the county lines dealers who saw him as ‘expendable’.

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Judge Ian Pringle QC said he could ‘easily’ impose a prison sentence, as he had done in many other similar cases, but had been persuaded to take an ‘exceptional course’.

He pointed to the teen’s family, who filled the public gallery, ‘glowing’ character references, as well as Hussain’s young age and lack of other offences for why he was sentencing him to a suspended sentence of two years.

The 19-year-old will also have to complete 240 hours unpaid work.