A young man who hid crack cocaine between the cheeks of his buttocks has been banned from Watford.

Ahmed Ali Ahmed, 19, of Colindale, had been dealing Class A drugs in Watford town centre when he came to the notice of plain clothed police officers.

He was arrested and taken to the town’s police station where he was strip searched.

Officers found he had hidden 25 wraps of heroin and crack cocaine between his buttocks.

He had £245 on him in cash and when his mobile phone was examined it was discovered he had sent out a message to his customers offering “food” - a slang term for drugs.

Ahmed pleaded guilty to possessing a Class A drug with intent to supply on May 14 last year.

St Albans Crown Court was told that Ahmed had moved out of his family home at the time and had been forced to deal drugs by others who had provided him with accommodation in Watford.

Judge Caroline Wigin hearing the case was told Ahmed had suffered burns to his back caused by associates placing a hot knife against the skin.

He was given a two year jail sentence suspended for two years and was told he would be subject to a four month night time home curfew.

He was also told he would have to carry 200 hours of unpaid work and attend 30 sessions of a Thinking Skills Programme.

Judge Wigin told Ahmed he was also banned from entering Watford for the next two years.