A drug dealer who was peddling crack cocaine and heroin on the streets of Mold has escaped prison.

Martin Jones was caught with 60 bags of drugs, including high purity crack cocaine, when he was stopped in a car park in the town centre last October.

But Mold Crown Court heard the Merseyside man was a novice dealer who gave some of his drug wraps away for free.

Prosecutor Jo Maxwell said he only took £340 cash for 50 wraps of drugs that had a street value of £600.

Judge David Hale admitted it was a very “unusual case” and that he was satisfied that Jones was not part of a crime gang or was behaving as a “county line” offender.

“Being a cocaine addict you decided to you would set up in business on your own. It only lasted two days and you were arrested,” said the judge.

“You have sought assistance and are now fee of cocaine after being a user for a number of years. So there is no public interest in imposing a custodial sentence on you.”

Jones was stopped in Mold after police checked his vehicle details and found he didn’t have insurance to drive it. He was strip searched after telling officers the drugs were hidden in his boxers.

One of two phones, which was seized along with £340 cash, contained messages indicating he was dealing.

He told police he had travelled from Liverpool with the intention of raising money to buy Christmas presents.

Jones, 36, of Markfield Crescent, Halewood, admitted six drugs offences. He pleaded guilty to two offences of possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply and two offences of supplying Class A drugs on October 30 last year.

He also admitted two offences of supplying Class A drugs on October 28 last year.

Defence barrister Bernice Campbell said Jones had his own drug problem and was now getting help at the charity Addaction in Liverpool.

“He has been extremely naïve. He gave away some drugs for free and made very little profit. He is a man who has learned his lesson,” she said.

Judge Hale sentenced Jones to two years in custody suspended for two years and ordered he do 140 hours of unpaid work.

He said the drugs cash should be handed over to North Wales Police and the drugs and one of the phones forfeited. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £140.