A SUSPECTED drug dealer whose fingerprints were found on a large Bowie-style combat knife had a previous conviction for carrying a blade in public.

The large knife, found in a grey rucksack on the riverside path near Grandstand Road in Worcester during a drugs search, had the fingerprints of Roberts Leeds on each side of the knife blade, a jury was told.

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The 30-year-old is on trial at Worcester Crown Court where he denies five counts: being concerned in the supply of heroin between September 18, 2019 and October 5, 2018; being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine between the same dates; having an article with a blade or point on September 19, 2018; possession of heroin with intent to supply on September 29, 2018; and possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply, also on September 29, 2018. Leeds's defence is that he was trying to 'score' drugs rather than sell them.

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The prosecution case is that Leeds was a drug dealer for the Blue Line which was using the Premier Inn at New Road in Worcester as a base.

Yesterday (Wednesday) DC Verity Farr, the officer in the case, showed the jury the knife seized from a grey rucksack which also contained paperwork and a prescription belonging to the defendant.

He is accused of being a drug dealer for the Blue Line, a County Lines drug supply operation.

The court also heard, as an agreed fact, that Leeds had a conviction for possession of a knife in a public place from March 27, 2017 and had answered no comment to all questions put to him interview about the offences for which he is on trial.

Leeds of Ipstones Avenue, Stechford entered the witness box where he accepted he had seen the knife before. However, he said: "It's not mine."

He told the jury he believed the knife had belonged to his girlfriend and previously seen someone holding it.

Asked by his advocate, Mohammed Riaz, how his fingerprints had ended up on the knife, he replied: "Going into the bag and putting items in there."

He was also asked if he knew the knife was in the rucksack at the time and he said: "Not at that time, no."

Leeds accepted that a prescription found inside the bag belonged to him but said his girlfriend owned the rucksack. He had her bag and mobile phone at the time because he was homeless, he told the jury.

On the day the bag was seized - September 19, 2018 - several users were seen to approach and walk off quickly, the prosecution case being that dealing was taking place. When officers approached, convicted drug dealer Michael Duffy was seen to throw a package into the river.

The package was subsequently recovered and found to contain 26 street deals of heroin at £10 each and 60 wraps of crack cocaine. A large quantity of drugs was later found at a room in the Premier Inn.

The trial continues.