THREE men involved in the supply of heroin on a town’s streets were caught as a result of inadvertent sales of the class A drug to an undercover police officer.

Mark David Rocks travelled from Gateshead to Chester-le-Street to make the sales, driven usually by Brian Primrose, but, on two occasions by William Balfour Rollie.

All three appeared at Durham Crown Court having previously pleaded ‘guilty’ to charges arising from their activities over little more than a month between March and April, last year.

Rocks, 43, of Pensher Gardens East, and regular ‘chauffeur’, 53-year-old Primrose, of Lingey Gardens, both Gateshead, admitted conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

Thirty-five-year-old Rollie, of Manor Gardens, Gateshead, admitted being concerned in the supply of a class A drug, on March 26 and April 22, last year.

Following discussion between Martin Towers, for the Crown, and defence barristers for the trio, it was accepted that Primrose’s Fiat made about 50 journeys from Gateshead to Chester-le-Street, during the period of the offences, but many of these were said to be for legitimate reasons, to see his 83-year-old mother.

Asked by Judge Christopher Prince how many trips were made for drug sale purposes, Chris Knox, for Rocks, said the figure of 23 was agreed up to April 10, with a “handful” in the following 13 days.

Mr Towers said a test purchase officer, ‘Kenny’, deployed undercover by Durham Police, was introduced to Rocks by another man, on March 6, when the first supply was made.

He paid £40 for a 1.5g deal, which Mr Towers said was the price and amount in each of his test purchases from Rocks, who was passenger in a Fiat car driven by Primrose.

On six of the eight test purchases, Primrose was the driver, but Rollie was at the wheel on March 26, and on the final occasion, on April 22, when police stopped the car as it entered the A1(M), on the return journey to Gateshead, after a sale was made to ‘Kenny’, in Shields Road, Chester-le-Street.

Mr Towers said a package was thrown from the car by Rocks just before police pulled it over, on the hard shoulder.

The bag was recovered and contained 63g of heroin, with a similar amount found in the car when Rocks was arrested.

Despite initial denials, Rollins handed in a prepared statement admitting his role in a subsequent interview.

Mr Knox, for Rocks, said he made no great material benefits from his dealing, and was “some way down the chain”, helping to cover the cost of his own, on-off addiction.

Tony Davis, for Primrose, said he is of previous good character, and his benefit was to have his car filled with fuel.

Mr Davis, for Rollie, said he merely stood in, driving twice when Primrose was unavailable.

Jailing Rocks for three years, Judge Prince said he played, “an active role” in the heroin supply in Chester-le-Street in spring last year.

Primose was given a 28-month prison sentence and Rollie received a one-year sentence, suspended for a year, but he must attend a 20-day probation-supervised rehabilitation activity programme.