A drug dealer has been jailed for four-and-a-half years for selling heroin and cocaine in Gloucester Park.

Khadeem Burrell, 27, (15.6.1992), of Park Road, Gloucester, pleaded guilty at the city Crown Court on friday to the possession of cocaine and heroin with intent to supply on August 6 this year having a knife at Gloucester Park and possessing a quantity of cash as the proceeds of criminal activity.

Prosecutor Ian Fenny said that plain clothes police officers keeping watch on a known drug dealing area of the city's park saw three men engaged with a class A drug user.

"When the men realised they were being watched, they ran off," he said. "The officers gave chase and caught Burrell with £1,442.85 cash on him along with £150 worth of heroin and £650 worth of crack cocaine and a knife.

"At the time of his arrest he was on parole and was in breach of his prison licence."

Sarah Jenkins, defending said: "Burrell was released from prison in September 2018 and he returned to Gloucester as part of his licence conditions. He attended his supervision meetings and was looking for employment.

"But because of his criminal record he was unable to secure work and he found it very difficult to get a job.

"Burrell was later approached by his former dealer to pay off his debt, but as he didn't have the funds he opted to sell class A drugs to pay the debt back.

"When he was caught by the police he knew the game was up."

Judge Michael Cullum said: "Gloucester Park is a short walk from this court and you went there to sell drugs.

"Unfortunately it is a known area for drug dealing and all the police had to do was show up and wait.

"And it was you on this occasion who got caught. You chose to re-enter the life of being a class A drug dealer. Heroin and cocaine ruin the lives of the people who use them and is a blight on society in general.

"You are the latest person to be caught in possession of these drugs with the intention of selling them on. Sentencing people like you has almost become formulaic.

"You were singularly involved on this occasion. You had £700 worth of drugs on you, a significant amount of cash and a knife - you were well set up for drug dealing."

Judge Cullum sentenced Burrell to four and half years in prison and ordered that he pay a victim surcharge.

He also ordered that for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and the knife. He also said that the £1,442.85 cash seized from the defendant was the proceeds of crime and would be given to Gloucestershire Police to use in their drug prevention education programme.