Gardener cleared of heroin charges

Barr, 36, of Church Street, Calne, stood trial on two counts of being concerned in the supply of heroin and one of offering to supply the drug.

The jury of ten men and two women at Swindon Crown Court last week returned unanimous verdicts of not guilty on all three charges.

Drug dealer Christopher Bamborough, who was caught in the undercover police operation, told the jury that he got his heroin from his friend Barr.

Bamborough was originally charged along with Barr, with being involved in the supply of heroin after drugs were sold to undercover officers.

But, after being convicted of another offence of supply, Bamborough gave a statement to police implicating Barr,

The jury also heard from Danny, one of the two undercover police officers who took part in the operation to infiltrate drug dealers in Calne last summer, which has resulted in about 13 people appearing before court.

The officer, whose identity was protected from the public gallery by screens, said he had met up with a man called Shaun Collins near the Lansdowne Hotel on July 9 last year and he had had agreed to get him and his colleague some heroin.

But when he found that his supplier hadn't delivered any he went to visit Bamborough, who lived on The Green.

However, on the way Collins, who has been convicted of supplying heroin, stopped at a flat on Bank Row, Church Street, to meet up with Barr.

Rod Blain, prosecuting, told the court that Collins could not get access to Bamborough's home and needed the help of Barr to get to him to obtain the drugs for the officers.

After disappearing for a short period with Barr, the court was told that Collins returned with heroin for the two policemen.

Later, in an interview with police, Barr admitted meeting Collins but said it was purely innocent and that he had not been involved in the supply of the drugs.

Barr insisted that he had no idea that Collins wanted to get drugs and denied being involved in dealing or even taking drugs.