DRUG dealer Barry Knight has been jailed for three years after he was caught peddling heroin on the streets of Swindon.

The 26-year-old, who was on a drug treatment and testing order, sold hundreds of pounds worth of the killer drug before he was caught by police.

Sentencing him Judge John McNaught said: "The fact is that a lot of the crime in Swindon and the area is drug-related I see it five days a week.

"Sentences of the court have to make it clear that those who sell class A drugs can expect to go to prison."

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said on the morning of January 15 police on patrol in the town received information that Knight was selling drugs.

Shortly before midday an officer saw Knight and approached him, telling him that he was going to be searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

"Immediately he tried to swallow something he was carrying," Mr Meeke told the court.

"There was quite a violent struggle as they tried to prevent him from swallowing, but he was successful in swallowing."

Because of the struggle Knight was arrested and taken to the police station at Westlea where he was strip-searched and a number of foil wraps were removed from his underwear.

But soon after he said it became clear that what he had swallowed was having an effect on him and he was rushed to the Great Western Hospital.

There he told staff he had swallowed 'about half a dozen bags of heroin', Mr Meeke said, although he had told police it was valium.

He was moved to intensive care where he spent the night with a police guard watching over him, the court heard.

Mr Meeke said when he was questioned the following day he admitted running drugs for someone else to pay off his debt.

He said Knight told police he had been 'told to work for them or they would drive him away and slit his throat'.

Mr Meeke said that he told police that he had been selling drugs for four days and had been given two grams of heroin worth between £180 and £200.

He would wrap the drugs himself and keep forty per cent of the takings he made by selling around town.

Among his previous convictions Mr Meeke said Knight had been put on a drug treatment and testing order last year.

Knight, of Stonefield Close, pleaded guilty to supplying heroin, possession with intent to supply and possession, obstructing a police officer and failing to surrender to bail.

Rob Ross, defending, said that his client was a heroin addict and was put under pressure to deal in the drug.

He said Knight, who was on the bottom rung of the supply ladder, was using two to three bags a day but had only been dealing the drug for four days.

Mr Ross said that his client was in a relationship with another man who appeared to be a decent, law-abiding man.

Jailing him Judge McNaught said: "I have taken into account that you were co-operative and you admitted this at an early stage.

"The fact is that a lot of the crime in Swindon and the area is drug-related I see it five days a week.

"Sentences of the court have to make it clear that those who sell class A drugs can expect to go to prison.

"You are a small scale dealer but you were tempted into going into it and people who are tempted must know what the risks are if they are caught."