A teenager with bright academic prospects and no previous convictions has been jailed after admitting six drugs offences.

Deemster Alastair Montgomerie told Jacob William Troy Brand the law left him with little alternative but to send him to prison, given the gravity of the offences.

The 18-year-old, who, the court heard, has 10 GCSEs and was studying an ICT course, admitted two offences of possessing cannabis, one of possessing ecstasy, supplying ecstasy and possessing it with intent to supply, and supplying cannabis.

Deemster Montgomerie told Brand, who was a finalist in the Junior Achievement’s Next Big Thing in 2015: ’Your conduct since your arrest has been exemplary and it is regrettable that you now have drug trafficking on your record, and that you have come in with such high level offences that give me very little room to manoeuvre.

’You made a catastrophic error dealing in class A and B drugs. Your family and friends are also victims of that offending because what happens to you impacts greatly on them.

’You are an intelligent young man and it is up to you to take advantage and continue with education in prison and there is no reason why you should not still have a bright future ahead of you. But the bottom line is you must steer clear of drugs from now on.’

For the prosecution, Michael Jelski said the offences came to light after police raided a house in Michael Street in Peel on March 24.

There, they found Brand, of Ballakillowey Road, Colby, upstairs in a bedroom.

’The room smelled of cannabis. The window was open and outside was a flat roof top. There were drinking mugs there containing tobacco and other residue and there was also a bong,’ he said.

When police climbed out of the window onto the roof they found what appeared to be ecstasy crystals and a tobacco pouch in the guttering.

Further searches revealed a metal thermos flask containing what were thought to be ecstasy pills. More ecstasy tablets were found along with cannabis and a grinder.

When police tried to arrest him, Brand told them he was going to kill himself and made a lunge for the window but he was hand cuffed and restrained. A further bag containing pills was found in his jacket pocket.

Referring to the cannabis, he told them: ’To be fair, it’s just for me.’

He admitted the offences on the basis that much of the drugs were for his own personal use, Mr Jelski told the court.

Defending Brand, Paul Glover emphasised his client’s youth, saying his first court appearance was actually on his 18th birthday.

’He is not the sort of person you would expect to see before any court,’ he said.

He told the court his client was a bright young man who had started experimenting with drugs as a diversion to the general monotony of life.

’He sang at a high level and entered competitions. He is a frustrated youth needing focus and activity to keep his mind occupied. His association with drugs is finished and a lengthy custodial sentence will not help him. It could do him far more harm than good and jeopardise a bright future,’ he said.

Sentencing Brand to a total of two years and nine months’ imprisonment, Deemster Montgomerie said he was keeping the sentence as short as he possibly could, without risking an intervention from the appeal court.

’Many people go to prison then go on to make something of their lives. I would have thought he had the potential for a bright future whether he goes to prison or not,’ he said.