A teenager caught dealing drugs in the St Benedict's area, of Norwich, was found with more than £250 worth of crack cocaine and heroin hidden in his underpants, a court heard.

Martin Ivory, prosecuting at Norwich Crown Court, said police were carrying out an undercover operation and keeping observations when they spotted the 17-year-old youth carrying out what appeared to be drug exchanges.

Mr Ivory said the youth was walking along with another man when he dropped some of the cash he had just been paid for the drugs.

"In error he dropped the money and then walked back to pick up the cash."

He said the youth was later stopped by police and was found to have £180 in cash and hidden in his underpants were seven wraps of heroin worth £35 and 44 wraps of crack cocaine worth £220.

Mr Ivory said a search of the home of the youth found a further 20 wraps of crack cocaine worth £100 and three wraps of heroin worth £15.

A mobile phone with four drug-related messages on it was also recovered.

Mr Ivory said the prosecution accepted the youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was "vulnerable" and under a degree of direction by others, who were older.

He said: "His was a lesser role."

The youth, who was in the dock with his social worker for support, admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs between August 31 2017 and October 10, 2017, and was given a two year youth rehabilitation order and a four month curfew.

Judge Andrew Shaw told him it was a "slightly unusual" sentencing exercise and told him that normally those involved in dealing drugs went straight to jail however he thought the youth needed help.

However he warned him that those involved in dealing drugs often carried knives and would issue threats to anyone they thought owed them money.

He added: "I suspect the people who you were being forced to work for would take the view you owed them money."

He accepted that the youth had been used by others to deal drugs but was giving him a chance to get help.

Judge Shaw said the terms of the rehabilitation order would not be easy but said: "I think it is going to help you.

David Stewart for the youth, said he was very young and was trafficked by others to sell drugs.