Hapless drug dealer caught with cocaine and heroin when he went to Oswestry police for help

The hapless 17-year-old decided to visit the station for advice when he found himself stranded.

But police officers became suspicious of his behaviour and ordered him to turn out his pockets.

The search produced around £1,800 worth of crack cocaine and heroin and the teenager ended up in the station's cells.

The naivety of the boy's behaviour was described in court as "breathtaking".

The boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

He admitted two charges of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

The court heard the discovery of the drugs happened in October last year, when the teenager travelled from his home in the West Midlands into Shropshire.

Hugh O'Brien Quinn, prosecuting, said the defendant had travelled to Gobowen from Wolverhampton.

He told the court that the man he had been expecting to meet had not turned up and he had tried to get home.

He said: "He had travelled by train on October 18 last year and at about 11.30pm went into Oswestry Police Station.

"He was explaining to officers he had missed the last train and he needed to get back to Wolverhampton.

"When checks were done on him police became aware he had previous dealings with drugs.

"He was then asked if he had any drugs on him and he produced four small wraps of cocaine from his jacket pocket."

The teenager was arrested and police decided to search a bag he was carrying.

They found 84 wraps of crack cocaine and 95 wraps of heroin.

It also emerged that the defendant had been granted bail at a previous hearing but had breached the conditions and been taken into custody as a result.

His solicitor, Delroy Henry, said: "To walk into a police station with drugs and to think he would not be searched is frankly breathtaking."

Judge Jim Tindal sentenced the 17-year-old to eight months custody.