A Stanmore teenager chased through Watford town centre by police was caught with a gun, ammunition and cocaine.

Jordan Raeburn of Sitwell Grove, Stanmore was jailed for five years and nine months yesterday after a court heard he had grown up with "serious criminality."

The 19-year-old had been asked to move the gun and drugs by associates of his wheelchair-bound brother, himself jailed for 25 months at Harrow Crown Court for dealing class A drugs in July last year.

Appearing in court via a video link from Bedford jail. Raeburn pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm and ammunition.

He also admitted possessing 6.43g of cocaine with intent to supply, possessing a small amount of cannabis, and common assault.

Prosecutor Daniel Higgins told St Albans Crown Court that on November 7 last year the teenager had fled after police tried to stop him as he walked along Watford High Street at 7.20pm.

Officers chased him through several streets, with Raeburn seen to discard a distinctive blue bag before running into in a dead end.

When a police sergeant went to arrest him, the officer was knocked to the ground, and after a struggle, Raeburn was brought to the ground and arrested.

Police searching him found a lump of cocaine worth £600 and £465 in cash in his trousers.

When the blue bag was recovered it contained ten rounds of ammunition, two of which were live, two mobile phones and a small amount of herbal cannabis.

And as police led Raeburn away he "arched himself over" in an unusual position, causing a Browning 9mm pistol to fall to the ground.

After his arrest, one of the mobile phones received a message that said: "If you are on the road, lay low there are Feds about."

Daniel Murray, defending, said Jordan Raeburn had grown up with "serious criminality."

He told the court Raeburn had a difficult upbringing, with his parents divorcing in 2001. His older brother Jason, 34, had not been a good influence – he was left wheelchair-bound after being shot in 2003 and was last year jailed for drug dealing.

Mr Murray said his client had said that his arrest was the best thing that had happened to him.

He added: "He is sorry and hopes to turn over a new leaf. He wants to gain qualifications to improve his future. He fell in with the wrong crowd. He had been asked to move the drugs and money."

Judge Stephen Gullick told him: "If you get involved in the drug and gun culture, it is extremely serious and the courts will impose long sentences.

Raeburn was jailed for five years for possessing the gun and ammunition, with a consecutive eight months for the cocaine offence and another month for the assault. The £465 was forfeited and the drugs destroyed.