THREE dealers caught selling heroin to undercover police in Swindon town centre have been put behind bars.

Justin Collier, 34, was jailed for four years, Stuart Cambridge, 34, got three years, and 30-year-old Robert Woodford two years.

Andrew Bloxsome, 22, was given a 51-week sentence which was suspended for two years.

Simon Brenchley, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that in Operation Duty a male and female officer posed as addicts called Paul and Charlie and got in with users around The Parade and Regent Street.

On Tuesday, January 10, the officers got talking to Cambridge and a friend outside Nationwide in The Parade.

After a while Cambridge offered to get drugs saying it would cost £10 plus £3 for him and some money for the phone.

Soon after he saw Collier with another man in a phone box and returned with some heroin.

The next day he offered to get the officers some more when he saw them outside Tesco in the town centre.

Cambridge then went into the toilets at Burger King returning with a bag of heroin which he sold them, again asking for £3 for himself.

Collier first supplied heroin to the officers on Thursday, January 12, after they saw him in Regent Street.

The following week he was with Bloxsome when the officers asked him if he had any drugs they could buy.

After disappearing for a while the men returned and Bloxsome took the officers up an alley near the flower stall on The Parade and sold them two bags of heroin.

The officers were introduced to Robert Woodford close to the telephone kiosks on The Parade at lunch time on Wednesday, January 18. Another user described him as his dealer' and he sold heroin to each of the officers.

Cambridge, of Albany Close, admitted three counts of supply and two of offering to supply. He has 93 previous convictions.

Collier, of Beaulieu Close, Toothill, admitted two supply and two being concerned in the supply. He has 82 previous convictions.

Bloxsome, also of Beaulieu Close, admitted one supply and Woodford, of Bow Court, South Street, Old Town, two counts of supply. They have eight and four previous convictions respectively.

However Woodford was put on a two-year conditional discharge in January last year for possessing heroin and crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Rob Ross, for Cambridge and Collier, said neither was a high level dealer and both were doing it to fund their own habits.

Chris Smyth said Bloxsome had been put on a drug treatment order and was doing well.

Mr Smyth said Woodford had blown about £250,000 compensation for an industrial injury on drugs.

After the case senior investigating officer Insp Jerry Dawson said: "I'm very pleased with the sentences as they send out a clear message to all individuals who are willing to deal drugs on the streets of Swindon.

"It was a test purchase operation, where we have police officers who go into the community and are sold drugs.

"It's not a case of police officers going and actively trying to get people to deal with them.

"It was to ensure that people on the streets weren't approached and offered drugs.

"In this case we had people who were willing to deal to perfect strangers. That for me was what was significant. They weren't just dealing to other known users."