A teenager who admitted drug dealing and possessing cash relating to criminal activity was today handed a suspended prison sentence.

The Court of General Gaol Delivery heard Oshin Mian Kaighin, 18, had secured a place at a leading residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation unit in Scotland.

Kaighin, of Albion Terrace, Ramsey, had pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possessing cannabis with intent to supply, and possessing criminal property.

Prosecutor Rachael Braidwood told the court that police were on patrol in Ramsey on January 10 at 8.45pm when they saw Kaighin acting suspiciously at St Paul’s Square.

The teenager who was 17 at the time, tried to run off when he saw officers but was detained.

A search of him found two snap bags of cannabis, containing 2.3 and 2.4 grams, and a grinder containing 0.4 grams together with cash totalling £1,015.

Kaighin’s phone was examined and an analysis of the messages supporting he had been dealing cannabis.

A basis of plea was agreed in which the defendant accepted that only £600 of the cash was from supplying cannabis to friends, with the rest of the money being from work and a family Christmas gift.

He said some of the cannabis had been for personal use but accepted that he had been dealing over an 11-day period and the snap bag containing £46 worth of the drug had been intended to supplied to a friend.

Defence advocate Ian Kermode said this was not street dealing but to just two or three friends, and he had done it to raise money to fund his own cannabis use to assist with his ADHD.

Mr Kermode said: ‘It is clear that Mr Kaighin has made huge strides within himself to move on in his life.’

He said the drug and alcohol team and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service were ‘genuinely impressed’ with his engagement and he was on new medication for his ADHD.

Mr Kermode said a placement had been agreed at a rehabilitation unit.

Deemster Graeme Cook handed Kaighin a 12-month sentence suspended for two years with a two-year supervision order.

He told him: ‘People want to work with you, they want to help you.’