A TEENAGER caught with a flick-knife in a car with a prolific drug dealer has been banned from Essex.

Kyron Clarke was the passenger in a Ford Focus driven by Armani Wilkin in Braintree in July last year.

Wilkin was found with 29 wraps of class A drugs and more than £1,200 in cash.

Clarke, who is now 18, had the knife, but no drugs.

He admitted possession of a knife.

At Chelmsford Crown Court, Judge Jonathan Seely heard Clarke, of Brassey Road, London, had convictions as a youngster but was now trying to turn his life around, was living independently and had ambitions to go to college.

The teenager was given a four-month prison sentence suspended for two years.

The judge banned Clarke from Essex for a year and ordered him to be electronically tagged for six months.

Clarke must also do a Thinking Skills programme and 25 rehabilitation days.

Judge Seely said: “You could have gone to custody today – it was very close but I am giving you a chance.

“It is up to you.

“I suggest you take the chance.

“Despite what you may think, spending the rest of your teenage years and your twenties in and out of court and into custody is not where you want to be.

“Don’t continue to associate with people who have wrong ideas about crime and hurting people.”