A TEENAGE drug dealer moved into a 43-year-old addict’s Penhill home to sell heroin and crack cocaine for a London gang.

Nuno Luis agreed to put up the lad, who was aged just 16 at the time, in exchange for some free wraps to feed his habit.

But both men walked free from court despite pedalling hundreds of pounds worth of hard drugs in Swindon for profit.

Judge Philip Wassall said the 14-month delay in bringing the case to sentence meant the lad, who had a long history of offending, had changed his life.

He said it would not be fair to impose a jail term on Luis, who of the pair is the less criminally sophisticated.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, said Luis was arrested close to his home on November 29, 2012, and found in possession of five wraps of hard drugs.

Police went to his home and found the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons and initially gave police a false name, was there.

The teen told officers: “You can search me. I haven’t got any drugs or cash. Look at my phone. There is nothing on it.”

However, wraps of drugs, pieces of cut up plastic bag and cling film as well as a craft knife which looked like it had been used for cutting up drugs, were found in the house.

Miss Squire said 20 street deals of heroin and 20 of crack cocaine worth about £600, were found.

Luis told officers he had been asked to house somebody and let him deal drugs from his address, Miss Squire said.

“He said he would be paid in drugs for the use of his address.

“He had assisted him and the people turning up at his address were to buy class A drugs.

“While the police were there three people turned up, £20 in hand, to purchase drugs clearly to be turned away disappointed.”

The youth denied anything to do with drugs saying he had only been there for a day, but among things in the bedroom was a train ticket of four days earlier.

The two men pleaded guilty to possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply when they appeared at Swindon Crown Court.

Luis, of Wilton Walk, also admitted being in possession of the two drugs for his own use.

Mike Pulsford, for Luis, said his client was an ‘easily influenced individual who became involved in offending without considering the full impact of his actions’.

Jennifer Twite, for the teenager, who now lives in Harrow, north London, said he had changed a great deal in the time since the offences.

She added he had served custodial sentences for other matters and it would be unjust for him to be jailed again.

“Clearly a prison sentence will put him back in the peer group he has made lots of effort to get away from,” she said.

Passing sentence, the judge told the youth: “There are additional factors, the delay, significantly you have spent time in detention and training since.

“From what I have read not only are you in a different position now, you have made changes to your life.”

He imposed a three year community order with an intensive supervision programme.

He told Luis: “At 43 you were vulnerable as an adult. You are very criminally unsophisticated and you allowed yourself to be persuaded by those who were anything but.”

He said were he to jail him the disparity in sentences would be too great so imposed a two year term suspended for two years.

He told him to complete drug rehabilitation and observe a night curfew for three months.