A 29-year-old Newent heroin addict who supplied the drug to about 20 other users in the town was jailed for 28 months on Monday.

Shane Bowkett, of Ash Tree Close pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing at Gloucester Crown Court to possessing heroin with intent to supply on December 16 last year.

Janine Wood, prosecuting, said that on that day police were tipped off about a white Mercedes van being used for drug dealing in the area. Later they stopped it on the A40 at Over and Bowkett was driving.

A wrap of heroin weighing 3.39grams was found - enough to make thirty-five £10 street deals.

Found on Bowkett’s phone were communications about buying drugs from 21 people in the Newent area.

Sarah Jenkins, defending, told the court Bowkett was a heavy drug user himself and had been selling to other addicts in the town to fund his own heavy habit, which was costing him between £50 and 70 a day.

"There is a fairly close knit community of Class A drug users in Newent and they tend to know each other, and to some extent this is now his offence started,” she said.

"His dealing was over a six-week period.”

Judge Cullum sentenced Bowkett to a total of 28 months imprisonment.