TWO drug dealers were jailed for a total of more than seven years after an undercover police operation led to their arrests.

Adrian McClean, 38, of Hope Street, York, was imprisoned for five years and eight months at York Crown Court yesterday after pleading guilty to a string of drugs offences including supplying and possessing heroin.

Patrick Purcell, 30, of School Bank, Richmond, was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to supplying a class A drug.

The court heard both men were arrested after a police officer posing as a drug user visited McClean's home and was sold drugs.

The court heard how the undercover police officer had visited the house on a number of occasions and bought drugs, on one occasion Purcell had answered the door and handed the drugs over.

In August last year the house was raided by police officers who found McClean with 2.75 grams of heroin on him and £300 in cash.

Simon Kealey, representing McClean, said: "His lifestyle was not indicative of a man who has made money from drugs, it is a long-standing and severe addiction that has put him in court today."

Ayshea Megyery, for Purcell, said he had been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but his arrest had been his saviour as he had been on a £100-a-day habit.

She said: "He gained not a thing by this, he supplied it to the person that appeared at the door.

"He was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but being arrested for this offence has been his saviour."

Judge Gavin Barr-Young ordered McClean to serve 147 days for a previous conviction along with a further five years and eight months for the present offences.

He ordered Purcell to serve two years, saying that while he was not going out looking for people to supply, he was willing to do it.

The undercover police officer in the case was commended for the dangerous work he had undertaken.

Updated: 10:47 Tuesday, July 15, 2003