A DRUG dealer wasn’t at court to hear a judge order him to pay more than £18,000 back.

Teesside Crown Court heard that Daniel Green, from Northallerton, refused to leave his cell at HMP Northumberland for his proceeds of crime hearing.

In his absence Judge Howard Crowson declared that his criminal benefit amounted to £38,666 and the amount available to the state was £18,014.

This latter amount, he said, must be paid within three months or Green would face two years prison in default.

Green, 28, of Ashlands Road, Northallerton, is already serving a six year, eight month jail sentence from February this year after he admitted two counts of supplying cocaine and possessing drugs including amphetamine, M-Cat, cannabis and ecstasy.

The 28-year-old was described by his barrister Jonathan Walker as a “Walter Mitty” type-character who enjoyed the lifestyle that came with his drug dealing.

Police seized a Swiss army pistol, a set of knuckledusters and CS gas canisters from Green’s Ford Transit van, along with £14,780 cash.