'My son's life is ruined after he became a victim of County Lines drug dealing'

The 17-year-old, along with his friend, were targeted by a gang in West Yorkshire who first enticed them by offering them free cannabis and buying them takeaways and alcohol.

His 64-year-old father, who does not want to be named due to fear of reprisals, said: "You hear about County Lines drug dealing all the time, but you never think it is going to happen to your own kids.

"I had no idea he was being targeted until it was too late and I got a phone call from him a few weeks ago to tell me was at the police station and had been charged with possession with intent to supply Class A drugs."

The teenager, described by his father as a "hard worker with a promising career ahead of him in plastering", is now on remand in prison and looking at a two-year-prison sentence if he pleads guilty to the crime.

"I keep in touch with him on the phone, but you can just tell he is gutted and that basically this has ruined his life," his father said.

"He is going to struggle in prison, he is not a bad lad, he has just fallen in with the wrong crowd."

His father said: "He told me that it all started when the gang would offer them free weed and tell them not to worry about paying for it until later on.

"It then just got out of hand and of course my son started owing them money and then the threats came.

"They would threaten to harm him and then threaten to beat me and his family up and of course, they knew where we lived."

As a result, his father said his son was forced into dealing class A drugs as a payback for what he owed to the gang.

"They had set some deal up at a hotel and that's when my son was caught by police with the drugs on him and hauled off to the police station," the man said.

The father says there needs to be more awareness for parents via the media on County Lines and how children and young people can become victims.

"We are trying to explain to the police what has happened but we just don't know what will happen.

"If he pleads guilty he is looking at a two-year-prison sentence, if not it could be more than four years.

"I just feel like he is a scapegoat who has been left out to slaughter."

The Children's Society has released a list of potential signs parents should look out for that their child could be a victim of criminal exploitation.

These include being secretive about who they are talking to and where they are going; unexplained money, phones, clothes or jewellery; and returning home late, staying out all night or going missing.

Other signs also include having hotel cards or keys to unknown places; unexplained absences from school, training or college, and increasingly disruptive or aggressive behaviour.