A DRUG dealer who targeted teenagers, one aged just 13, has been jailed for 20 months.

Kevin Peter Deakin, of Blaen Wern, Gwernymynydd, admitted supplying cannabis to youngsters aged between 13 and 17 in Mold and Gwernymynydd last year.

Sentencing him at Mold Crown Court yesterday, Judge Niclas Parry said that Deakin, 43, was a predator who had targeted and corrupted children into taking drugs.

Deakin, formerly of Chester, had come from outside the area and targeted young boys with the sole intention of selling drugs.

“One of them was only 13,” the judge said. “You corrupted them.

“It is clear that they would not have bought drugs if you had not approached them. Your actions were nothing short of predatory.

“Parents of children in this vulnerable society must understand that the court will do everything it can to protect them from people like you who seek to exploit them to satisfy your own drugs needs.”

The judge said he took into account Deakin’s guilty pleas to nine charges of supplying the class B drug, and his poor health.

Prosecuting barrister Simon Parry said that one evening last September a police officer saw Deakin in the company of two boys aged 13 at the Blaen Wern car park in Gwernymynydd, and thought it was suspicious.

Deakin saw the officer’s marked police car, waved to the boys and walked off.

The officer searched the boys and found cannabis. They were taken to the police station, and later made statements indicating that they had been buying cannabis from Deakin on a regular basis.

One boy said he had been introduced to Deakin and had been provided with his mobile telephone number. They would make arrangements to meet in Mold or at Gwernymynydd to buy cannabis.

A second youth said he had been approached by Deakin at the historic Bailey Hill in Mold. He asked him if he smoked weed and gave him a contact number if he wanted to buy cannabis.

In June last year Deakin was caught on CCTV handing out bags of cannabis to young people in the public car park behind Bevan’s store in Mold High Street.

When arrested texts of a drug supplying nature were found on his mobile phone but when he was interviewed he answered “no comment” to most questions and denied supplying drugs to children.

Brian Treadwell, defending, said Deakin accepted responsibility for what he had done.

It was clear that while in custody he had time to reflect. He knew he had to change his ways or he would die.

Deakin had unresolved issues from his younger life and had used heroin, cannabis and alcohol, which had plagued his life.