A 20-year-old man who had a phone linked to a county lines drug operation when he was arrested in a caravan in Colchester has been given a suspended sentence.

Before Ipswich Crown Court was Nathan Seninde, of Guildford, who had denied being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine but was convicted by a jury after a three-day trial last month.

On Tuesday (August 17), he was sentenced to 21 months of detention in a young offenders’ institution, suspended for 24 months, and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.

He was also given a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement.

Sentencing him, Recorder Jeremy Benson described Seninde as a “vulnerable young man” and said he had been in care or supported by the local authority at the time of the offences.

He said that given the progress he had made since his arrest, he felt able to pass a suspended sentence.

However, he warned him that if he reoffended in the next two years, it was likely he would have to serve the 21-month sentence consecutively to any other sentence he received.

Giving evidence during his trial, Seninde claimed he had gone to Colchester to attend a party at the University of Essex.

He said that when the party was cancelled, he went to the caravan where he was arrested with a friend to smoke and drink.

During the trial, the court heard that police went to a caravan at King Edward Quay at The Hythe, Colchester on October 3 2019 and arrested Seninde and another man.

The men were searched and two wraps of heroin and four wraps of cocaine were found in their possession, as well as two “burner” phones and £555 cash.

Joanne Eley, prosecuting, said the “burner” phones were linked to the “Rex” and “Max” drug lines, which were known by police to supply class A drugs in the Colchester area.

Miss Eley said that after his arrest, Seninde had not given any explanation for his presence in the caravan, the money in his possession or messages on his phone.