A Cheltenham drug dealer who used a 17-year-old boy as a runner has been jailed.

Conrad Millin of Mendip Road, Cheltenham "co-ordinated street dealers" and "played a significant role" in the town's drug scene, Gloucester crown Court was told yesterday.

Millin pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A dugs on September 19th last year and April 17 this year.

The Recorder of Gloucester, Judge Ian Lawrie QC jailed Millin - whose family wept in the public gallery - for a total of 15 months.

Prosecuting barrister Julian Kesner said: "The defendant was arrested on an unconnected matter in March and spent the day in custody.

"While in custody his mobile phone received 170 calls or texts - clearly drug requests.

"Later a 17-year-old was arrested in September last year and the defendant's DNA was found on five wraps of Class A drugs."

The court heard that when Millin was arrested on the drugs issue in April of this year £960 worth of crack cocaine and heroin in street deal wraps was found in his bedroom.

"The defendant, whose mobile phone was registered to his grandmother, had an eight-month strong connection with selling Class A drugs," said Mr Kesner.

"He played a significant role and used a 17-year-old boy as a runner.

"He co-ordinated street-dealers and was very active in the drug scene."

Millin had seven previous convictions, mostly for offences of burglary, and was given a prison sentence in 2015, the prosecutor said.

Defending barrister Peter Binder said "My client only started to use Class A drugs shortly after the murder of a close friend in Cheltenham in July of last year.

"He has now turned his back on crime and is leading a productive and respectable life."

Judge Lawrie QC said; "You played a significant role in this trade in human misery."

Millin also pleaded guilty to a separate charge of driving while disqualified.

He received a concurrent six-month jail sentence for that offence.

His mother shouted "We love you" as he walked down the steps from the dock to begin his sentence.