A HEROIN dealer who supplied to feed his own addiction has walked free from court after a judge gave him a chance to kick his habit.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Mark Lambert, 43, had a long criminal record but no previous convictions for supplying hard drugs. He was said to have sold drugs on a regular basis for six months.

Sentencing, a judge told the defendant he had not supplied purely for profit - although that might not be a great comfort to the parents of the people he sold drugs to.

Lambert, of Sackville Street, Brierfield, admitted supplying heroin. He was given a 12 month drug treatment and testing order and a two year community rehabilitation order.

William Staunton, prosecuting, told the court that police with a search warrant went to the defendant's home.

Two people came out of the house, started walking up the road and were detained. One of them had two wraps of heroin and said she had gone there specifically to buy drugs.

The defendant was inside the house and police found heroin of 52 per cent purity and seized the drugs.

Lambert had £50 in notes on him and was arrested and taken to the police station, where £235 was found in his sock.

Rod Priestley, defending, said Lambert had been in and out of prison all his adult life because of heroin. He had health problems due to his intravenous drug use such as collapsed veins.

Mr Priestley said a community order might be of long term benefit to the community rather than sending Lambert back to prison.