A MAN aged 45 who peddled heroin on the streets of Swindon has been jailed for three years.

Douglas Wood was found with 14 wraps of the drug when he was arrested following a police operation in March last year.

After pleading not guilty to possession with intent to supply, the Toothill man was found guilty by a jury at the crown court.

But after being found to be unsuitable for a Drug Treatment and Testing Order he was jailed.

Wood, who has been a heroin addict for more than 20 years, had nine wraps of heroin on him when he was arrested, and a further five were found at his home.

Although he admitted possession of the drugs, he denied that he had intended to supply them to others, but a jury rejected his claim.

Chris Smyth, defending, said his client was not really a drug dealer but an addict who got involved with the wrong people.

The court was told that in recent weeks Wood claimed to have cut down his intake of heroin from five or six bags a day to just one bag every day or so.

Mr Smyth said Wood had not wanted to be put on methadone to get off heroin because he feared it was more addictive. He added that Wood had an alcohol problem many years ago and got away from that, only to turn to heroin use.

Since his conviction by the jury, Mr Smyth said, Wood had completed a 60-hour community service order for another offence.

He said Wood was on incapacity benefit because of pain he suffered as a result of a road accident many years ago.

"As he has cut down on his use of heroin he has found the pain has receded somewhat."

"He has found he is in a rather better physical state than he thought he might be."

Mr Smyth said the police had not bothered to carry out a financial investigation into his client as he had no money and did not live the life of a drug dealer.

Jailing him, Recorder Lucinda Davis, said "For sentencing I view it as relatively low level street supply.

"The courts have repeatedly made it clear how serious the supply of class A drugs is.

"It is so serious that only custody is an option."

As well as jailing him for three years, she also ordered he forfeit £165 he had with him when he was arrested, and that the heroin be destroyed.

Tamsin Davis