A promising student told police they had done him a favour when he was caught drug dealing in an alleyway.

Amer Hamid-Taha, 19, was spotted supplying crack cocaine and heroin to known drug users in the town in March this year, Norwich Crown Court heard.

When officers approached Hamid-Taha he dropped 10 wraps of drugs and some cash and told officers: "Thank you. You have done me a favour."

Eastern Daily Press: Norwich Crown CourtNorwich Crown Court (Image: Archant)

William Carter, prosecuting, said seven wraps of crack cocaine and three wraps of heroin were recovered, along with £100 in cash.

He said it was a typical county lines operation where Hamid-Taha was sent to Great Yarmouth to deal drugs, adding: "He had no links to Norfolk."

Mr Carter said when Hamid-Taha's phone was searched, police found drug dealing messages and also one telling him to get back to Manchester as if he was caught he would go to prison and university would be "out the window."

Mr Carter said: "He plainly did not take that good advice."

He said there was also a video found on his phone showing drugs and cash with a voice saying: "Buy some of this now".

Hamid-Taha, who appeared over a link from Norwich jail, admitted possession of drugs with intent to supply on March 11, and was given two years in a young offender's institution.

David Stewart, mitigating, said that Hamid-Taha was only 18 at the time of the offences and had a difficult childhood.

However, he did well at school and was planning to go to university to study until he had been caught drug dealing.

Mr Stewart said: "That option is no longer open to him."

Sentencing him, Judge Maureen Bacon told Hamid-Taha that despite his conviction he could still go to university if he reformed himself.

"Not all hope is extinguished. You might be accepted by a university if you tell them about your offending and reform yourself."

She added that his future lay in his own hands and he did not need to be condemned to a life of crime if he cleaned up his act.