AN ADDICT who helped deal drugs in the middle of Nelson town centre has been jailed for two years.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Faisal Awan, 33, was the driver for the man known as AJ as he twice supplied undercover police with hard drugs and actually handled the heroin once himself.

The defendant had fought a 12-year battle against heroin and his family had repeatedly paid for implants to try and help him kick his habit.

He kept going back to drugs and was said to have been heavily in debt to AJ.

Awan was caught out in operation Nimrod last May and June and was later arrested after a police swoop.

The defendant, of Bath Street, Nelson, admitted supplying heroin and two counts of being concerned in supplying the drug.

He had a record for drugs offences.

Sentencing, Recorder Susan Grocott, QC, told Awan it was a tragedy that with a good education and strong family support he had the record he had.

At the end of every implant he had gone back to heroin, but was not someone who had no other option.

She added: "You have been given opportunity after opportunity after opportunity and on each occasion, you have turned it down."

Francis McEntee, prosecuting, told the court last May two officers were deployed in Nelson and made contact with an Asian male called AJ.

They arranged to meet on the second floor of the multi-storey car park.

The undercover officers went to the car park and a car arrived with AJ in the front passenger seat.

The defendant was driving, as he did on all three occasions.

Mr McEntee said a deal worth £80 was sold to police.

On May 31 another supply took place and because AJ was talking on the phone, the defendant got a drugs package from underneath the steering column and handed it to AJ to give to the officers.

It contained another £80 deal.

On June 14, the officers went to Vulcan Street and AJ dealt 1.59grammes of heroin, of 48 per cent purity and worth £40.

Mr McEntee said Awan was later arrested in a police swoop and claimed he got involved simply as the driver. He had thought AJ was in car hire but accepted he became aware he was collecting money for drugs deals. Awan had previous convictions for being concerned in the supply of heroin and possessing the drug.

Hugh Barton, defending, said Awan had fought a 12 year battle with heroin and had run up a substantial debt to AJ, who was plainly a commercial street dealer.