A DRUG dealer tried to 'chew up' his dirty phone's SIM card when tackled to the ground by police.

Adrian Lynch was jailed for being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine at Worcester Crown Court yesterday after he was arrested as part of Operation Blade. A further count of being concerned in the supply of heroin will lie on file. The 28-year-old County Lines dealer trafficked drugs into Droitwich from Birmingham and had made the journey at least five times before he was arrested.

Lynch of Leonard Road, Birmingham, was pulled over after police saw him behind the wheel of a black Vauxhall Astra in Teme Crescent, Droitwich on June 12 last year.

Charles Hamer, prosecuting, said Lynch gave a false name and refused to get out of the car. The officer at the scene was joined by more officers who used their car to block in Lynch's, preventing him leaving.

Mr Hamer told the court Lynch was warned they they would break the car windows with their batons if he did not open the doors so he handed over the keys.

Mr Hamer said: "He opened the door and made a run for it. He was tackled and brought down and tried to chew up the SIM card by putting it into his mouth."

During the course of the struggle he dropped two iPhones. A third Samsung mobile phone was found under the driver's seat. Lynch admitted obstructing officers by giving a false name and refusing to leave the car, a vehicle he was also driving without insurance.

Lynch was kept apart from co-defendant Philip Brown, 39, of Heathfield Road, Handsworth. Brown was found with the drugs when officers returned to the address in Teme Crescent after arresting Lynch.

Brown admitted possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Police found 2.79g of crack cocaine with a street value of £400 and 2.3g of heroin with a street value of £230 at the house. Brown admitted he had class A drugs but claimed they were for 'personal use'. Brown's basis of plea, accepted by the Crown, was that he was 'a habitual drug user'. As a result he had got into significant debt to his dealer, Lynch, who had told him he could work off the debt by dealing drugs. Brown said he had been driven to Droitwich from Birmingham by Lynch for this purpose, that the money from the sale of the drugs would go to Lynch but that he would receive a share of the drugs.

The phones were analysed which showed evidence of drug dealing but also revealed the existence of someone called 'Tapz' who Mr Hamer said was further up the chain than Lynch. Lynch had four previous convictions for 11 offences but none for drug trafficking.

Brown had 21 convictions for 48 offences, mainly for matters of dishonesty including shoplifting but also for assault occasioning actual bodily harm and criminal damage.

Ayoub Khan, for Lynch, said text messages indicated that his client had been 'invited' to sell drugs in Droitwich, encouraged by another co-defendant.

This was Leeanne Edwards, 43, of Vines Lane, Droitwich, who received a 12 month community order for being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine. Mr Khan also stressed the short period over which the dealing took place and the relatively low quantity of drugs.

Abigail Nixon, for Brown, said he had pleaded guilty at the first available opportunity and argued that the case fitted more comfortably into the lesser role category.

Miss Nixon said her client had no previous convictions for drug dealing and had spent nine and a half months on remand.

Recorder Robert Spencer-Bernard sentenced Lynch to 54 months in prison less 135 days for a qualifying curfew (half the 270 days). His licence will be endorsed with six penalty points for driving without insurance.

Brown was sentenced to 24 months in prison suspended for two years.