A teenage dealer who took over a vulnerable St Neots man’s home to sell heroin and cocaine has been locked up.

Ben Fortune, 18, who threatened his victim with a knife, was found with drugs worth more than £1,250.

Fortune, of Brickly Road, Luton, was sentenced to three years in a young offender institution at Peterborough Crown Court after he admitted possessing heroin and cocaine with intent to supply, possessing cannabis and common assault.

The court heard that Fortune forced his way inside the house of the victim, who uses a wheelchair, in February.

The victim repeatedly asked him to leave but Fortune fetched a knife from the kitchen and said: “Is that how this is going to be?”

But the victim took the chance to hide and call the police when Fortune plugged his phone in and went to the toilet.

The court was told that while the victim was hiding in another room he heard Fortune receive a number of telephone calls and there were several visitors to the property.

When police arrived Fortune tried to run off but was caught in the back garden.

A strip search revealed a small amount of heroin hidden in Fortune’s trousers and while he was in custody a further 124 wraps of cocaine he had concealed were discovered, taking the value of the drugs to more than £1,250.

After the hearing DC Lisa Bacon said: “This man deliberately targeted a vulnerable adult in order to sell Class A drugs. He used threatening tactics to intimidate his victim, which has understandably left him shaken.

“This sentence will send a message to others planning to come to Cambridgeshire to sell drugs. We have a zero tolerance policy on tackling county lines drug dealers.”