A DEALER caught half-naked and armed with a blade in a Park North addict’s home was told by a judge “if you swim with sharks you can hardly be surprised if you get bitten”.

Now, Lewis Owusu has been jailed for almost four years after he admitted possession with intent to supply crack cocaine and heroin, being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and possession of criminal property.

The 23-year-old, of Farmilo Road, Walthamstow, was described as the site manager for a London gang peddling heroin and crack cocaine in Swindon.

Swindon Crown Court heard the cannabis user had clocked up a drug debt to the gang in the capital and was offered the chance to work off the balance – by selling drugs down the M4.

On August 20, 2018, police raided the Milverton Court flat of addict Robina Puffett. Officers suspected the 27-year-old was being cuckooed by dealers using her flat as a base from which to peddle their wares.

They found Owusu hiding on the floor of the bedroom. Owusu, 23, was lying on the bed, naked below his t-shirt.

Prosecuting, Paul Fairley said Owusu was lying on top of a black mobile phone. To the side of the bed was a tracksuit in which was wrapped a knife blade, 60 wraps of crack cocaine, three wraps of heroin and over £860 in cash. The drugs had an estimated street value of £630.

He said: “The telephone was subsequently examined and there were text messages…which show not only that Mr Owusu was involved in the supply of drugs but that he had what is termed an elevated position in the operation.

“There appeared to be runners checking in with him.

“There was a message from Ms Puffett offering to be his runner. In fact, that message was sent an hour before police arrived at Milverton Court.”

Alec Small, defending described his client has having a “classic story”: “He has a record which has a large number of possession of cannabis offences on it.

“He is a young man who got into debt with his drug dealer. As is so often the way he is given the opportunity to try and work off his debt by working for the dealers.

“There is then the usual threats made against him and his family. He chose not to have to deal with those threats – and worked.”

He was sent down to Swindon and had only been dealing for around a week before he was caught by the police. He was not paid a wage by the gangmasters.

Owusu did not control the main deal line and was instead directed where to sell the drugs by his bosses, it was claimed.

Mr Small said his client had been working towards getting his construction site CSCS car since he was picked up by the police, had not been in significant trouble and had cut down on his cannabis use. Owusu also helped out with a London project aimed at preventing young black men from getting involved in knife crime.

Jailing Owusu for three years and nine months, Judge Jason Taylor QC acknowledged the young man was working off a debt to the dealers.

“There is an element of being preyed upon, but of course as I say if you swim with sharks you can hardly be surprised when you get bitten,” he added.