A CAREER criminal who ran a drug line supplying heroin and crack cocaine in Colchester has been jailed for 18 months.

Lee Warren, 37, appeared in Chelmsford Crown Court on Thursday for sentencing after he previously admitted two charges of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

The court heard how Warren’s period of offending lasted just over a fortnight from April 10 to April 27 this year.

During this period, he was in control of a mobile phone which was being used as part of a drugs line being run in Colchester.

Warren appeared in a blue t-shirt which read ‘Shannon Trust mentor’ – a reference to the 37-year-old’s involvement in a prison scheme which has been set up to help disadvantaged people learn to read.

Judge Timoth Godfrey said a prison sentence for Warren was unavoidable, even though it was established by both prosecution and defence barristers that he played a lesser role in the drugs line compared to other criminals.

He said: “You do have a considerable record of previous convictions – you are 37 years old, with 56 convictions for 157 offences.

“You have a long record of acquisitive crime which must be linked to your long history of drug misuse [and] you have been subject to drug rehabilitation requirements that have not been successful.

“Conviction 53 from August 2015 is for possession of Class A drugs; conviction 54, supplying a Class A drug, for which you were given a suspended sentence of two years.”

Judge Godfrey continued by listing a string of previous convictions involving theft and shoplifting, but acknowledged Warren had shown good conduct in prison.

He said: “You are making good use of your time in custody as a mentor helping other prisoners.

“You have struggled with your mental health at times, and you have struggled with a drug problem, although help has been offered to you previously.

“You say you are determined to address it and you have agreed to be put on a drug reduction scheme.”

Judge Godfrey sentenced Warren, of no fixed abode, to a two-year sentence, though the 37-year-old will be eligible for release after serving half that time.