A Bradford teenager caught three times selling Class A drugs on the streets of West Yorkshire has been locked up for more than four years.

Adrian Michalowski was earning up to £180 a day from his “job” and would have been a higher rate taxpayer if his income was legal, the judge told him.

Michalowski, 18, of Abingdon Street, Manningham, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply on August 15 last year and January 18 and March 20 this year.

Prosecutor Stephen Wood said the teenager was 17 when he was first caught peddling drugs from a car in Castleford. The police stopped a silver Vauxhall Astra with a smashed wing mirror, broken brake light and no MoT test.

Michalowski, the front seat passenger, was shaking and sweating. He had £945 in cash on him and 18 packages of Class A drugs.

He was released under enquiry and stopped in Priestland Street, Manningham, at the wheel of a VW Jetta. He had drugs on him and a search of his bedroom turned up a stash of cocaine, crack cocaine and heroin, along with dealer lists, bags and electronic scales.

Mr Wood said the drugs found in the house were Michalowski’s stock ready to be bagged up.

He was stopped for the third time in the Lumb Lane area of Manningham driving a Renault Kadjar that had been taken at gunpoint in a robbery.

There were drugs, two phones, mini scales and coins in the vehicle.

Michalowski told the police he was aware that the car was stolen. It was lent to him by his “boss” and he had been driving it for two weeks. He said he earned between £70 and £180 a day from street drug dealing.

“This was the defendant’s job. He was either working on his own behalf for pure financial gain or he was an extremely trusted “employee” working for financial gain, Mr Wood said.

Michalowski said that he spent a quarter of his earnings on himself and gave the rest to his mother to help her.

In all, the police seized £3,214 worth of drugs and cash.

Caroline Abraham, Michalowski’s barrister, said he was 17 when he was first caught selling drugs. He was pressed into it by an older youth but then chose to continue.

Michalowski had wanted to go into the catering trade but decided to work as a drug dealer instead.

“He is remorseful and fully accepts his actions,” Miss Abraham said.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC, said: “It is a great sadness that someone so young could be involved professionally in this dreadful, evil trade.

Michalowski was earning so much that he would have qualified as a higher rate taxpayer.

“It is a sad advert that so much can be made but it is also a warning that such dealing in death is a very high-risk trade,” Judge Durham Hall said.

Michalowski was sent to a young offender institution for four years and two months.

The judge made a confiscation order to claw back the £987 seized from him.