A HEROIN dealer caught out supplying to an undercover cop in Operation Nimrod may be the first to be spared jail.

Nicholas Fallon, 26, who has lost a leg through his own addiction to hard drugs, was now clean of heroin, on methadone and working with rehabilitation services, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Fallon, formerly of Burnley, but now living in Portland Terrace, Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, admitted supplying heroin and had been committed for sentence by Burnley magistrates.

He was given a deferred sentence.

Recorder Richard Shaw told Fallon during the deferrment period he must not commit any offences and comply with all requirments of his voluntary drug treatment, such as providing monthly urine tests.

Silvia Dacre, prosecuting, said in June undercover police were in Burnley and made contact with a man who called himself Brownie.

Fallon then got in a van, produced a bag of heroin from his mouth and gave it to the officer.

Tim Storrie, defending, said Fallon had left the area and co-operated with his methadone programme.