A drug dealing teenager who posted a loaded gun through a letterbox while trying to get away from police has been sentenced to seven years in a young offenders institute.

Cops chased Hugo Borges, 18, through the streets of Newington Green on November 29 after asking him to stop riding his bicycle, which he didn’t.

Pc Jack Hardwick, who was also on a bike, saw Borges post the weapon into a house and caught up with him a short while later. Although he had discarded the gun, he still had more than 50 wraps of crack cocaine and 35 wraps of heroin on him.

The boy, from Islington, was sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court today after admitting possession of a prohibited weapon, possession of ammunition without a certificate, and two counts of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply.

Det Const Grace Milner said: “Borges is today starting a lengthy prison sentence having been left with no option but to plead guilty to these serious offences.

“His arrest, and the recovery of both a firearm and class A drugs, was down to the intuition of two of my colleagues who were on the estate as part of the borough’s commitment to providing our residents with visible patrols.

“I would encourage anyone who has information regarding the supply of drugs or the possession or firearms to contact police with their concerns, so that appropriate action can be taken against the criminals involved.”

The gun had been converted from a blank-firing pistol, and loaded with ammunition.

A second man was charged and two others arrested in connection with the incident. All three are still on police bail.