A DRUG-DEALING York doorman and his accomplice are today serving prison sentences.

Police caught Mohammed Zohaib, 26, and Mohammed Rizwan Sultan, 25, red-handed with enough cocaine to make up to £1,000 in street deals and 82 Ecstasy tablets worth £820, said Nick Adlington, prosecuting.

They also found a BB gun in the car driven by Zohaib at speed near Strensall shortly after midnight.

Sultan, the front seat passenger, initially evaded police but was caught 40 minutes after a police search with dogs.

Mark Brookes, for Sultan, said he worked in city-centre clubs as a doorman and sold drugs to pay off debts run up by his own drug usage. Sultan, of Navigation Road in Dewsbury, and Zohaib, of Middle Road in Dewsbury, both admitted possession of cocaine and possession of Ecstasy, both with intent to supply and Zohaib admitted possession of a small amount of heroin found in his house for his own use. Both were jailed for three years at York Crown Court.

Recorder Alistair MacDonald QC said: “The reason why (you were) in York was because Sultan was a doorman. That may explain the reason why you got involved with people who take drugs in York.”

Mr Adlington said the pair had been dealing drugs for six months.

On July 2, shortly before 1am, police in an unmarked car followed the pair when they spotted them in a Skoda Octavia on Strensall Road, Strensall.

Sultan got out of the car and made off over a fence.

Police arrested Zohaib and searched the car where they found the BB gun and drugs. A police dog found a tub by the fence containing scales and more drugs.

Officers arrested Sultan 40 minutes later near Queen Elizabeth Barracks in a taxi which was about to take him to York Railway Station.

The 13.9g of cocaine were of 77 per cent purity and would have fetched £520 if sold uncut and up to £1,000 if mixed with other powder.

Tom Storey, for Zohaib, said they were not sophisticated drug dealers. His drug taking had led to the loss of his job and debts and his life had spiralled out of control.

Both defence barristers said the men were ashamed for the shame they had brought upon their devout families.