A drug dealer tried to evade police in Norwich by hiding a bag containing drugs and £275 in cash in a tree, a court heard.

Lamar Dumetz, from London, was found standing by an open window when police raided the address in Lothian Street, but after police searched the area outside the window, a shoulder bag containing 363 wraps of heroin and cocaine and cash was found hanging in a tree, Norwich Crown Court heard.

Ian James, prosecuting, said that the breakdown of the drugs seized was 154 wraps of heroin and 209 wraps of cocaine.

Mr James said it was a county lines set-up and said that Dumetz had played a significant role in the operation.

He said the address used in Norwich was that of a 'vulnerable' drug user, and said that he was not even present when police made the raid at his home.

Dumetz, 24, from Peabody Hill, London, had originally denied the charges but at a later stage, just before trial, then changed his plea and admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.

Sentencing him to five years and three months, Judge Andrew Shaw told Dumetz: 'You knew full well you had been involved in coming to this city to supply a controlled drug of Class A.'

He said: 'You played a significant role in a very serious county lines case. You took over the home of a local vulnerable drug user.'

Judge Shaw said there was a large quantity of drugs seized, which was more than what was usually found in a county lines case.

Judge Shaw told him the matter was so serious only custody could be justified. He also ordered the seizure of the cash found and destruction of the drugs which were seized.

Charles Kellett, for Dumetz, said he had no idea of the scale of the county lines drug dealing that was going on and said that since his arrest for the drugs offences in October 2017, he had tried to turn his life around.

He said he regularly carried out community work for a soup kitchen in Brixton, making food deliveries for the homeless and needy and said: 'He has attempted to turn his life around for the good. He got sucked into this.'

Mr Kellett said he had only been involved for a short period of time.