A UNIVERSITY of Essex student who ran a county lines drug supply operation has been jailed for three and a half years.

Judge Emma Peters, in sentencing Ashley Nvuemba, 23, described the world of drugs as “evil” and said he had been involved in “classic county lines drug dealing”.

“You were regularly bringing drugs into Colchester from London and selling these drugs over a period of six months and this was an activity that was giving you a great deal of financial advantage.

“Anyone involved in running a drugs line of this sort must face a period of immediate imprisonment,” said the judge.

She said Nvuemba’s involvement in drug dealing was a great shame as he had been building a successful career as a talent manager and had been given a name check by rapper, songwriter and TV personality Big Zuu in his Bafta acceptance speech.

She said she hoped that his court appearance had been a salutary lesson and in the future he would stay away from the “evils of the drugs world”.

In addition to jailing Nvuemba, Judge Peters made a forfeiture order for £3,100 found in his possession.

Nvuemba, of Annan Road, Colchester, had denied being concerned in the supply of heroin and cocaine between August 2020 and February 2021, but was found guilty by a jury of both charges by 10-2 majority verdicts after a trial in December.

At his sentencing hearing, he admitted his convictions placed him in breach of a four-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months imposed in September 2020 for offences of possessing cannabis and possessing a knife.

The court heard during his trial he claimed he had been in the company of the person holding the drug line and hadn’t personally been involved in the supply of drugs.

Adam Squibbs, for Nvuemba, said his client still didn’t accept he had committed the offences, but accepted he’d associated with people who were involved in drug dealing.

He said his client had been a student at the university’s Colchester campus and had a reason to be in Colchester.

“It’s not a case of him coming to Colchester just to sell drugs,”

said Mr Squibbs.

He said Nvuemba had committed the offences out of immaturity and since his arrest he had been making efforts to turn his life around.