'Do you want to buy some sniff?': Drug dealer caught by undercover police offering to sell cocaine outside Viaduct Showbar in Leeds

Tinashe Tembo was overheard by plain-clothes officers in Leeds approaching groups of young people and asking them: "Do you want to buy some sniff?"

Leeds Crown Court heard how officers had been on Lower Briggate on the lookout for drug-dealing activity in the early hours of March 17, 2018.

They spotted Tembo striking up conversations with groups of people near to Viaduct Showbar.

Gerald Hendron, prosecuting, said the officers continued to listen to him offering drugs to more groups of people.

He was arrested and searched and found in possession of eight ecstasy tablets, cannabis worth £120 and cocaine separated into small bags worth around £145.

His mobile phone was seized and found to contain messages requesting drugs such as LSD and MDMA.

He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine, MDMA and cannabis with intent to supply shortly before the court hearing.

The court heard Tembo, 31, of Easterly Road, Leeds, continues to deny that he was selling drugs despite the guilty pleas

A probation report states: "He sticks with what he told police, he was talking to people but not offering drugs. "

Martin Morrow, mitigating, told the court that the offences were three years old and that he had not been in trouble since.

He said: "He does not appear to make any financial gain, and it was very unsophisticated, right under the noses of the police."

The Judge questioned why the defendant continued to shirk responsibility despite pleading guilty.

He said: "You still deny committing these offences, I do not understand why that is.

"You may think it will stand you in a better position to deny them than to admit and show remorse.

"From the evidence, you were approaching people in Leeds city centre, trying to sell them Class A drugs and cannabis.

"These offences are very serious."

Tembo was given a 24-month jail term, suspended for 18 months.

He was ordered to complete 12 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

Tembo was also given a four-month electronically-tagged curfew to keep him at home between the hours of 8.30pm and 6.30am.