A father-to-be who travelled to Hyndburn from Bradford to supply heroin and crack cocaine has been locked up.

Rehan Ali, 18, was spotted by police on Perth Street in Accrington at around midday on March 19 approaching people in a Vauxhall Corsa.

Prosecutor Paul Cummings said officers thought Ali’s actions were ‘suspicious’ and started to approach him before he ran off down an alleyway.

When he was apprehended a few minutes later officers found a total of 60 wraps of crack cocaine and 19 wraps of heroin worth a total of £1,000, Preston Crown Court heard.

Mr Cummings said Ali also had £291 in cash and a train ticked from Bradford to Accrington.

He said: “All the drugs were in individual wraps ready for street dealing.

“He had clearly travelled over from Bradford to Accrington that day to do this.”

Ali, of Nevill Grove, Bradford, pleaded guilty to possessing crack cocaine and heroin with intent to supply and possessing cannabis.

He was sent to a young offenders institute for 20 months.

Ricky Holland, defending, said Ali was trying to pay off a drugs debt and has no relevant previous convictions.

However the court heard how Ali was on bail at the time for a separate affray offence which he has since been sentenced for at Bradford Crown Court.

Mr Holland said: “He had ran up a debt to his drug suppliers.

“He will have to wait and see if there’s any sort of come back for him not fulfilling his particular role.

“One would hope that would be the end of it.

“He is due to be a father in September 2018 and he will now likely be still incarcerated at the birth of his first child.

“His involvement in drugs has come as a great shock to his parents and his partner who are still standing by him and supporting him.”

The court heard how Ali has ‘avoided drugs’ while on remand and has ‘directed his energies towards education and the gym’.

Recorder John Bromley-Davenport QC said he had not choice but to sent Ali to custody.

Sentencing, he said: “You very foolishly got yourself into drugs and allowed yourself to be used and taken advantage of.”