A TEENAGER “dealt in misery to others” when he sold Ecstasy tablets to friends in a city centre street, York Crown Court heard.

CCTV operators spotted Lenny De-Souza-Walton, now 18, handing over the drug in return for money before going with a friend to nearby Kuda nightclub in Clifford Street, York, said Heather Gilmore, prosecuting.

The operators sounded the alert, the club’s doormen threw De-Souza-Walton out and police arrested him, the court was told.

He had drug dealing messages on his mobile phone.

Defence barrister Ben Campbell said the teenager had bought more than he wanted to celebrate his birthday a few days earlier and hadn’t sold drugs before.

He had only sold two tablets, one each to two different people he already knew.

“This (his arrest) has shocked him,” he said.

“He doesn’t go out any more and he tries to desist friends if they speak of buying or taking drugs.”

De-Souza-Walton, of Principal Rise, Dringhouses, pleaded guilty to two charges of supplying drugs.

He was jailed for 18 months, suspended for two years on condition he does 150 hours’ unpaid work.

A charge of possession of Ecstasy with intent to supply, which he denied, was left on file.

He must pay £250 prosecution costs and £65 found on him was confiscated as drug profits.

Recorder Margia Mostafa told him: “You are convicted of being a drug dealer. Those who take drugs live lives of misery.

"It causes a lot of misery in society. You were dealing in misery to others.”

Earlier she had said: “He has to understand if I decide to suspend the sentence how close he is to custody.”

York Crown Court heard that the teenager was 17 when the CCTV operators saw him at 1.55am in Coppergate on June 16 last year.

They spotted him handing over a small package to each buyer and take a note from each.