A teenager has been jailed for two-and-a-half years for dealing crack cocaine.

Dajour Smith, 29, of Pembroke, was caught "red-handed" as he tried to run from Police, Magistrates' Court heard. Smith pleaded guilty on Thursday to possession of cocaine with intent to supply.

Senior Crown counsel Paula Tyndale said Police were on patrol in Dundonald Street at 11.30 p.m. on December 20 when they noticed a group of young men near E.F. Gordon Square.

"Officers saw a number of men run off in different directions and pursued one male who they could see running towards Union Street, heading north," she said.

"As they rounded the corner they took hold of him and asked him why he was running. The defendant replied 'I didn't run' but officers noticed he was out of breath and his heart was beating fast."

They found four blue sandwich bag 'twists' containing a white rock substance plus an amount of cash in his possession. Officers then retrieved a clear plastic bag on the ground which contained a similar substance.

Ms Tyndale said Smith admitted to officers, "It's mine".

"He was arrested within 100 metres of the Focus Counselling Services centre," she said.

The court heard Smith had in his possession 16 wraps or 'twists' of crack cocaine and $546.10 in cash. A Police laboratory analysis concluded the drug had a weight of 3.03 grams the equivalent street value being $800.

Defence lawyer Marc Daniels asked the court for a Social Inquiry Report prior to sentencing. He said Smith was of "previous good character" and that he was "remorseful".

The court heard Smith, a student at the Adult Education Centre, had no previous convictions.

But Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner said: "The facts of this case is he was caught red-handed, selling drugs, trafficking drugs. He admitted it.

"The Court of Appeal has made it abundantly clear that in these circumstances there must be a custodial sentence."

He told Mr. Daniels: "Your application for a Social Inquiry Report is refused."

Smith then told Mr. Warner: "I'm really sorry for what I done. I don't know what I was thinking at the time but I'd like to get on with my life and keep this in the past, and get on with my education, to pick up a trade.

"I can promise you, you don't have to worry about seeing me in court again. I'm sorry your honour."

Mr. Warner however, said: "You don't become a drug pusher overnight, the very nature of the trade demands you have some experience in it, so when he says 'I don't know what I was thinking at the time', it suggests this was a one-off situation. It implies it's a moment thing, 'it's not like me to do this'.

"But I understand the drug trade is not like that.

"This is a clear and callous peddling of drugs on the street corner."

Jailing Smith for two-and-a-half years, Mr. Warner said: "In this type of case it calls for a deterrent in terms of trafficking drugs on street corners. Selling drugs on the streets of Bermuda is selling drugs, period."