A DRUG dealer who threatened a group of men with an imitation gun has been jailed for four years after admitting a string of offences.

Bolton Crown Court heard how James Rhodes, now aged 21, turned to drugs when he was made homeless after being disowned by his mother at the age of 16.

But the The Honorary Recorder of Bolton, Judge Martin Walsh, was told that he embarked on a series of crimes between 2018 and August this year.

Amanda Johnson, prosecuting, said that at 7.45am on November 17, 2018, Rhodes was seen driving a Ford Focus on Chorley Old Road.

“He is described as chasing a group of unknown males and going towards an address on Battenberg Road,” said Miss Johnson, who added that there was then an altercation between Rhodes and a woman called Kerry Jackson.

The group of men, carrying knives and bats, chased Rhodes away but he returned a short time later, this time with an imitation gun.

“He pointed it towards Miss Jackson and the group of males, which provoked further retaliation from the group, who again chased him.”

Rhodes drove off but lost control of the car in Victory Street and the men caught up with him, making threats. Police arrived and made arrests.

The previous month, on October 5, police looking for Rhodes found him asleep on a sofa at a house.

“He was arrested and handcuffed and as he got up from the sofa a large quantity of drugs fell from his person,” said Miss Johnson.

Altogether there were 53 wraps of MDMA worth £974 on the streets and 54 wraps of cocaine valued at £1,136.

Rhodes was released under investigation but the court heard that on August 29 this year Rhodes, who has never held a driving licence and was banned from the roads for dangerous driving, was caught behind the wheel of a stolen Audi A1.

Miss Johnson told how the car had been stolen from an elderly woman in Ramsbottom two weeks earlier and Rhodes was driving it on cloned number plates when police became suspicious after spotting it at 1.30am on Moss Bank Way, Bolton.

Rhodes refused to stop, driving at up to 90mph on 30mph roads before eventually coming to a halt in a dead end in Townsfield Road, Westhoughton.

The driver, who had a female passenger in the car, ran off down an alleyway but was found hiding in brambles by a police dog handler.

Andrew Evans, defending, said Rhodes claimed he had committed the offence because he was “showing off” to the woman he was with and hoped to start a relationship with.

Rhodes, of Hedley Street, Bolton, pleaded guilty to drug dealing, possessing a firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, driving a stolen car, careless driving and driving whilst banned and without insurance. He also admitted breaching a previously imposed suspended prison sentence.

Mr Evans stated that Rhodes has a personality disorder and ADHD and had started sleeping in car parks from the age of 17 and suffered from sleep deprivation due to the fear of being attacked.

“That led to the use of drugs just to get through the night,” said Mr Evans, who added that, as a result he got into debt and so started dealing himself.

He added that Rhodes has no recollection of the crimes he has committed but more recently has improved his life and found work as a labourer.

Judge Walsh sentenced Rhodes to four years in prison and banned him from driving for four years.