A TEENAGE drug dealer who boasted about making easy money sobbed as he was jailed for 26 months.

And teary Jacob Wyness, who walked out of the dock when he realised he was going down, returned minutes later to ask to see his mum, but she had left the public gallery.

Among texts advertising his wares the 18-year-old was found to have sent one to his girlfriend saying: “I can make money when I want.”

Tessa Hingston, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how police had intelligence he was dealing, leading to him being stopped and searched on November 1 last year.

He was found to have 16 wraps of crack cocaine and six of heroin, worth £220 on the streets, along with a cannabis grinder and mobile phone.

When the handset was analysed it was found to have sent out bulk messages to addicts advertising drugs for sale.

Officers also came across the message to his girlfriend boasting about his earning potential.

He made no comment when interviewed, Miss Hingston said, but the court heard he has told a probation officer that he had been at it since he was 16 years old.

Wyness pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply.

Emma Handslip, defending, said her client had run up a cannabis debt and, due to family circumstances, needed to raise money.

Once he had paid off what he owed he didn’t stop dealing, but she said the message to his girlfriend was ‘some bravado’.

She said he was then put upon by people higher up in the supply chain who exploited him, smashing windows at his home.

“As a result the while family have been moved and relocated. There must be safeguarding issues,” she said.

Were he to be jailed she said that he would be put back into a place where the people who preyed on him, and exploited his youth, would be.

Jailing him Judge Jason Taylor QC said “You admitted candidly that you had been involved in dealing drugs since you were 16 years of age.

“You were motivated by money, indeed you boasted about money, though I accept there were elements of teenage bravado about that. You were not engaged initially by pressure, you became involved voluntarily.”

Noting the threats he later received he said “If you swim with sharks you can hardly be surprised if you get bitten.”

As he told him he would no suspend the sentence Wyness put his head in his hands crying before walking out of the dock towards the cells.

A few minutes later, after his family had left as the case had finished, he returned and sobbed: “Can I see my mum please?”