A COUNCILLOR who sent a letter defending a man convicted of drug dealing has defended him and said he had been "led astray".

Cllr Hanif Darvesh submitted a letter in support of Mohammed Natha, who was sentenced to two years in prison suspended for two years at Bolton Crown Court earlier this week.

The court heard that Natha, aged 23, had become a drug dealer in a bid to raise £15,000 to help his father — who is suffering from diabetes and has also had a heart attack — pay the outstanding charges on his mortgage.

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

After the hearing, Cllr Darvesh, the chairman of Bolton Council's planning committee, said he supported Natha because of his positive work in the community, including helping to organise events at the Noorul Islam mosque in Halliwell Road.

Labour Cllr Darvesh, who represents Crompton ward, said: "I know he has been doing a lot of volunteer work, and I have met his father via case work.

"Unfortunately he is a young lad who got involved in the wrong crowd and has been led astray.

"There are some issues in that area with young lads involved in drug dealing, there are some areas in Crompton where they are having to deal with those issues.

"I just thought, this guy has been led astray. He is not the kind of person who you would expect to be involved in this type of thing at all."

Tory Cllr Andy Morgan, who represents Heaton and Lostock, questioned Cllr Darvesh's support of Natha.

He said: "Natha's intentions could be considered by some as good, but the fact that he has been dealing drugs is unacceptable.

“Drugs are a blight on society and if my son would have taken the drugs and reacted badly to them and died, I wonder how Cllr Darvesh would feel then.

“It is completely unacceptable and Natha should face the full force of the law.”

During the hearing on Tuesday, the court was told that Natha, of Horace Street, Halliwell, had been in employment until the end of November last year, but lost his job and began to deal cocaine.

The court also heard that Natha had tried to stop his drug dealing, but was assaulted and threatened by crime bosses.

Defending Natha, Yunus Valli said that Natha was “genuinely remorseful” and that the incident was “wholly out of character”.

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

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