A LONG-TIME class A drugs user twice supplied heroin to a woman in Ellesmere Port – not realising she was an undercover police officer.

Jeffrey Tayman, 41, had previously pleaded guilty to supplying the class A drug on November 20, 2019 and December 5, 2019.

Prosecuting, Philip Clemo told Chester Crown Court on Thursday, October 15 that Tayman had spent one month since his arrest in custody, while awaiting sentence.

During that time, he had been to hospital with deep vein thrombosis in his legs and then sepsis and ulcers, likely caused as a result of his long-term drug addiction.

However, while in prison he was now on a drug treatment programme and was looking to go clean.

Honorary Recorder of Chester Judge Steven Everett said he was prepared to give Tayman a chance and handed him a suspended sentence.

Mr Clemo told the court Tayman had supplied the undercover officer with a £20 wrap of heroin the first time, and arranged to get a heroin wrap from a dealer the second time for no profit.

The undercover officer went to Tayman's address in Cambridge Road on December 5 and he produced a number of heroin wraps, supplying one of them to her.

Tayman had 12 convictions for 20 offences, the vast majority for low-level dishonesty. Notably, he had a 12-year gap in his offending between 2006-2018.

Defending, Peter Barnett said Tayman had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and hoped and intended to get himself clean of drugs.

He had previously been able to work in the galvanising steel industry but developed a back problem which left him in pain.

Although he was no longer able to stay at the Cambridge Road property, Tayman hoped to stay at either his partner's address or with his mother.

Judge Everett said Tayman was a "pathetic" individual who was supplying heroin as well as using it.

He said: "You know only too well what these evil drugs do.

"You're a long-time user from a very young age which I find very sad, even before your teens.

"Tragically, your sister died from drug usage, and you carried on taking them. I find it bewildering.

"It may be your back problem stopped you working and you started taking drugs.

"These drugs shorten your life. You have had sepsis while in hospital, what more do you need to know? Short of dying from an overdose, you have had everything that can be put to you.

"At 41, you need to make a decision – 'do I actually sort myself out, or do I sink further and further into the mire of drug taking?"

Tayman was handed a 12-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, and must complete 35 days of a rehabilitation activity requirement. The heroin was to be seized and forfeited.