A former York man has been jailed for three-and-a-half years after police mounted an undercover operation to stop street trading in drugs.

Heroin dealer Sam Davenport, 25, used a Rottweiler dog for protection against robbers, York Crown Court heard.

He fell into a police trap when he sold heroin to two people and arranged to sell them more, Geraldine Kelly, prosecuting told the court.

The "buyers" were detectives taking part in a special operation against street dealing in Scarborough town centre.

Now Judge Jonathan Crabtree has warned the dealer, who tried to escape heroin by moving away from York 12 months ago, that he faces a struggle to avoid using the drug that brought about his downfall. He said: "It is of crucial importance to keep off heroin in prison, where one would think it would be easy.

"I am only too well aware there is plenty of it."

Davenport, of Ramshill Road, Scarborough, pleaded guilty to three charges of supplying heroin.

Miss Kelly said Davenport sold two undercover officers a £10 heroin wrap each and agreed to meet them again in Scarborough town centre for another sale.

But one of the detectives equipped himself with a listening device before going to the second meet where Davenport sold another £10 wrap.

The dealer was arrested a month later with £130 cash on him.

The judge confiscated £100 on the grounds it was drugs profits. Davenport had no other assets.

For Davenport, John Worrall said he had started taking heroin to escape from the trauma of his mother's death from cancer and his sister's heart attack.

He spent his £7,000 inheritance from his mother on the drug.

He took drug counselling in York before moving to Scarborough and in recent months had kicked his habit.

He now intended to lead a hard-working life.