A TAXI driver has been jailed after a barman he supplied with drugs died.

A court was told that Mohammed Ibrar, 36, of Blackburn Road, Haslingden, had "no idea" what he was supplying.

He sold 22-year-old barman Luke Anderson what he thought was cocaine.

But it was heroin and Mr Anderson fell into a drug-induced sleep after snorting two lines of the drug through a rolled up £10 note.

He was found slumped on the floor the following lunchtime, by pub manager Kim Cottingham.

She gave him mouth-to-mouth but couldn't resuscitate him. Paramedics pronounced him dead.

Ibrar was jailed for three-and-a-half years by a judge at Oxford Crown Court after being convicted by jury in May of supplying Class A drugs follow Mr Anderson's death in October 31, 2004.

The court was told that the incident happened in West Berkshire after Ibrar, who had since moved to Haslingden, gave Mr Anderson and friends home from a hallowe'en party in Camden, north London.

Ibrar had befriended Mr Anderson and his group of friends - and supplied him with a clear plastic bag filled with powder, the court was told.

Ibrar, a Pakistani national previously of good character, was arrested shortly after the death and charged by police.

Adam Gersch, defending, said his client now accepted he had supplied the drugs which killed Mr Anderson, adding that he felt remorse for his "naivety and stupidity."

"This is the first big mistake of his life and he found himself simply out of his depth," said Mr Gersch.

Daniel Fugallo, prosecuting, said there were two aggravating features in the case - the "extreme danger" of the drug and "recklessness" shown by Ibrar in supplying it.

"He had no idea what he was supplying and took no steps to ascertain it," added Mr Fugallo.

Ibrar was never charged with manslaughter because the CPS accepted he had not intended to kill Mr Anderson, the court heard.

Sentencing Ibrar, Judge Anthony King told him he could neither accept he now felt remorse for Mr Anderson's death nor his claim that he found the drugs that killed him in his taxi.

"I do not know how or why you had this substance with you," said Judge King.

"I am not prepared to accept the account that you now give that you found it in the taxi. I just simply do not know.

"You now admit your guilt. It is a pity that you were not brave enough to do so at the first opportunity."

The judge said the case should act as a warning to others who experimented with drugs.

"It is a clear indication to everyone of the dangers of messing about with any kind of controlled drug."