A CONVICTED drugs dealer from Settle who threatened a childhood friend over an unpaid debt has been sent to crown court for sentencing.

Michael (Micky) Valentine, 29, left a threatening answerphone message with Andrew Dutton and sent abusive texts demanding money, Skipton magistrates heard.

He will be sentenced at Bradford Crown Court later this month after magistrates heard he was subject to a crown court order at the time for the possession with intent to supply cannabis.

Valentine, although admitting leaving an offensive message under the Malicious Communications Act, insisted he had lent Mr Dutton the money to buy a present for his child.

But Mr Dutton told police he had bought cannabis from Valentine, had paid £80 for it, and then Valentine had started demanding £160 - doubling the debt, said prosecutor Martin Butterworth.

Valentine further admitted sending abusive text messages to Mr Dutton, to harassing him in Duke Street, Settle, and possessing a small amount of cannabis for personal use.

On December 17, a week before Christmas, he left a message on Mr Dutton's phone in which he threatened to smash the windows in his flat, castrate him, cut off his fingers and add a further £1,500 to the debt.

He further sent a series of text messages between December 12 and December 23 in which he threatened his mother and his former partner.

On January 20, Valentine challenged Mr Dutton in Duke Street, asking him for his money and telling him he had better get out of Settle.

Mr Dutton, in a statement, said he felt nervous and anxious as a result and was in fear that Valentine or one of his 'associates' would do him harm.

Valentine, who admitted all offences at an earlier hearing at Harrogate Magistrates Court, was already subject to a 12-month order from Bradford Crown Court given in November for possessing with intent to supply cannabis.

The court heard he claimed he had lent £500 to Mr Dutton and had wanted it back to buy Christmas presents.

In mitigation, the court was told Valentine, of Mill Close, accepted that he had left the messages, but that they were nothing to do with a drugs debt. The cannabis, found at his home, was for self medication because he suffered from a condition which meant he had too much iron in his blood and which in the past had led to heart attacks.

He was sent to Bradford Crown Court for sentencing on February 26. Bail was extended on the condition he did not contact Dr Dutton in any way and resided at Mill Close.