A ONE-TIME teenage sporting hopeful was today (Monday, November 10) starting a prison sentence following a conviction for supplying drugs.

Daniel Joseph Hart sold cocaine in a street in the vicinity of a further education college.

The former junior county rugby player was found in possession of the class A drug when approached by police.

Durham Crown Court heard that he resorted to dealing as means of funding his own supply of the drug.

Kate Dodds, prosecuting, told the court that the defendant was detained by police while on foot in Peterlee.

“He was searched and was found to be in possession of 27.2g of cocaine, which was in 30 wraps.

“When he was subsequently interviewed, Hart told police he would walk to Peterlee to sell the wraps from a street corner behind the Lidl store, near to the Peterlee College site.

“He said he would take about five wraps with him each time, and those people who wanted drugs would know to approach him.”

She said Hart went to that same sales pitch almost on a daily basis and had been doing so for about eight weeks by the time of his arrest.

Jonathan Walker, mitigating, told the court that the defendant had taken the drug himself, and by this time last year his habit was costing approximately £300 per week.

“Some of his drugs were supplied on tick, so he turned to dealing to get himself out of debt,” he said.

But, Mr Walker said Hart, was, “in his time”, a promising young sportsman, particularly on the rugby field.

“He played both codes of rugby, and represented County Durham in the league form of the game,” added Mr Walker.

Twenty-two-year-old Hart, of Bruce Glazier Terrace, Shotton Colliery, near Peterlee, admitted possessing a class A drug with intent to supply, on November 7, last year.

His basis of plea was rejected at a previous hearing by Judge Robert Adams.

Jailing him for two years, Judge Adams told him: “After telling the police what you had been doing, you later gave different accounts.

“I rejected those at an earlier hearing, and I’m satisfied what you told the police in the first instance was largely the truth.”

Judge Adams said Hart had, “demonstrated a degree of naivety”, which appeared to have been exploited by others.

He added: “I accept you have shown remorse, but the sentence I pass must reflect the public’s dislike of those who deal in class A drugs.”