A HALLIWELL man became a drug dealer in a bid to raise £15,000 to help his ill father, a court heard.

Mohammed Natha was said to be earning about £100 a day from dealing cocaine, which Bolton Crown Court was told was double the amount he earned in legitimate employment.

The court heard that Natha, aged 23, had been in employment until the end of November last year, but lost his job and began to deal cocaine.

He wanted to raise the sum to pay off the rest of his father’s outstanding mortgage, as his father was suffering from ill health.

The court was told Natha, of Horace Street, said he wanted to stop dealing drugs at one stage, but was beaten up by his crime bosses and ordered to continue.

Officers raided his house, and Natha barricaded himself in his bedroom, before police forced their way in.

He was found to be in possession of small quantities of cannabis and cocaine, as well as a phone which had text messages showing requests for the supply of cocaine.

The court was told that Natha was “genuinely remorseful” and that the incident was “wholly out of character”.

Addressing Natha, Judge Graeme Smith said: “I have read testimonies that have been produced from the local parish priest, who happens to be a neighbour, who speaks of a hard working young man who has made a mistake that astonishes him.

“The sad thing about this case is the mistake you made was motivated by a desire for financial gain, but that financial gain was to care for your father who was unwell."

Judge Smith said the case was “unusual” case because Natha was not out to make profit from the drug dealing for himself.

He added: “Drugs and particular drug abuse us a very serious problem in our society and those who are involved in assisting others to acquire illegal drugs ate dealt with necessarily harshly by our courts.”

Natha pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine and possession with intent to supply cocaine at an earlier hearing.

He was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years.

Charges of acquiring criminal property and possession of cannabis were ordered to lie on file.