A DISABLED man became a drug dealer as he wanted to be liked after being bullied and exploited, a court heard.

Yusuf Ayoob, 33, of Southchurch Avenue, Southend, along with Gheoghe-Leonard Balan, were stopped by police in May in a hire car with £630 and 21.8grams of cocaine worth £2,160.

The court heard how Ayoob’s mother was injected with a substance on the black market in Zanzibar causing him to have deformed hands and arms, and was bullied for most of his childhood.

The architecture student was self medicating and wanted “to have friends”, the court heard.

Balan, 23, of London Road, Leigh was sentenced last October to 15 months in prison, while Ayoob, who has ten previous convictions, appeared at Basildon Crown Court yesterday and was jailed for more than two years.

Defending James Elvedge said: “He says the £630 was not his profit and for others higher up the supply chain and says he was exploited. He’s an intelligent character and was studying for an architecture degree and that’s his ambition.

“He’s quite a sad character and was bullied during most of his childhood and his way to avoid that was to be nice and helpful and that’s how he got into dealing drugs.

“He was self medicating with the drugs and just wishes to be liked and have friends.”

Prosecuting Kevin Walls said: “Ayoob gave the drugs to the other man to hold just before the police turned up and he was a customer and possible recruit.

“He also had a mobile with messages linked to drug supply. A knife and scales were found at his home during a police search.”

Sentencing Ayoob, Judge Sam Cohen said: “On May 6 last year you were stopped by police.

“You have a criminal record and most significantly a serious of offences in 2014 of supply of Class A drugs. You are desperate to be liked and behaved in a way to accommodate others with criminal behaviours.

“I sentence you to 28 months in prison and order you pay a victim surcharge of £190.”