A MAN caught dealing hard drugs on the streets of Bolton has been spared jail by a judge who lets “very, very few” people walk out of his court for the offence.

Abou Rumatila was out with friends one day in January 2020 when they attracted police attention, Bolton Crown Court heard.

The court was told one of the group shouted expletives at them and as police moved towards Rumatila they smelled cannabis.

They searched him and found snap bags of cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy.

Later on police moved to his address and found further drugs, paraphernalia and cash.

Daniel Prowse, prosecuting, said: "In total there was 778g of cannabis with a value of £8,320, 2.718g of cocaine worth £330, 6.547g of MDMA worth £500 and £40 of ketamine, which it is accepted was for personal use.”

Messages on his phone indicated Rumatila had been involved in street dealing for some time, the court heard.

Rumatila, 21, of Kingsley Street, Bolton, admitted to possessing cannabis, ecstasy and cannabis with intent to supply, possession of ketamine and having the proceeds of crime, namely £859 in cash.

Ben Berkson, defending, said his client "had difficult background issues in his life".

He added: “He came from the Democratic Republic of Congo, his life was torn apart at a young age due to the civil war. His parents both died in the conflict.”

The defendant came to the UK in 2016 with his brothers and had been homeless for periods.

Judge Martin Walsh, said: “Very very few people walk out of my court having been convicted of being involved in the supply of class A dealing.

“Class A drugs have a devastating impact on their users and blight communities in which people live. I have thought very very hard about whether it is necessary to sent you immediately to custody or whether the public interest justifies me suspending the sentence.”

Rumatila was handed a two-year suspended prison term with 200 hours of unpaid work and 40 rehab activity days.