THE first person to be sentenced after recent dawn drug swoops has been jailed for two years.

Career criminal and heroin addict Lee Horsfall, 38, twice supplied high purity heroin to an undercover police officer before being arrested in early morning raids, a court heard.

Heavily tattooed Horsfall, who has more than 100 previous convictions and has been in and out of jail for the past 21 years, was not arrested until four months after the deals, when police stormed several addresses across Burnley.

Horsfall, of Brennand Street, Burnley, admitted two charges of supplying heroin at an earlier hearing.

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, told Burnley Crown Court that during Operation Nimrod, an undercover officer named Paul had been deployed in Burnley in a bid to combat drug supplying.

About 27 people were later arrested -- but the defendant was the first to be sentenced.

The defendant was living at Branch Road in July when the officer went to his home address.

Horsfall was at an upstairs window and the undercover officer shouted up asking for two bags of heroin.

The defendant handed over two wraps for £20.

He also gave the officer his mobile number to ring if he wanted more drugs.

Miss Statham said three days later Paul rang the number, went to Branch Road and Horsfall came downstairs to answer the door. He was carrying what appeared to be an ice pick. The officer bought a wrap for £10.

Horsfall was arrested in November. Police had to co-ordinate the operation and gather evidence and decided to target all those said to be involved on on a particular day as part of Operation Nimrod.

Anthony Cross, defending, said: "The defendant has been a bad villain. He has a bad reputation among the police and probation service and he's the first to admit it."