A prolific criminal who has amassed more than 140 offences tried to swallow drugs he was dealing when cornered by the police.

Mark Bradford has been spared jail after he was caught in the act of the drug deal in Christchurch Road, Southend.

The 53-year-old has been offending since 1991, and has been a serial drug user which has seriously impacted his health.

Basildon Crown Court heard that after his latest crime he is determined to get out of the rut he is in.

Bradford, of Southchurch Road, Southend, was spotted by police at the end of 2019 dealing drugs.

Prosecuting, Terence Woods said: "The defendant was stopped at 11.30pm in Christchurch Road, Southend, they had seen him in an alleyway with two others about to purchase drugs from him.

"They approached him and he put three wraps into his mouth and the officer shouted at him to spit them out, and struck him a number of times to get him to spit out the wraps, which he did."

Bradford was found to be in possession of two mobile phones which had messages linked to drug dealing, and had 14 wraps of cocaine and 19 wraps of heroin on him.

Of these, 30 of them were found in his underwear when strip searched at the police station.

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Mr Woods said Bradford had 54 convictions for 140 offences since 1991, which short spells in prison.

Mitigating, Sasha Bailey said: "He is someone who you can see from previous convictions has been a heavy drug user for some time. He had a drug debt that had accumulated over a period of time and it was called in.

"It's had a considerable impact on his health, he has significant breathing problems.

"Despite his age he doesn't have either of his Covid vaccinations.

"He has been drug free for about five months now. He has simply had enough. The time has come and he has to be drug free, due to the toll its taken on his health and life."

Recorder Shane Collery QC said: "You have an appalling criminal record, 54 convictions for 140 offences is simply an appalling record.

"It's a clear pattern of someone who has a drug habit."

Bradford was given a two year suspended prison sentence with a drug rehabilitation requirement for six months and 40 hours of rehabilitation.