A PARAMEDIC who helped a friend buy cocaine has been spared a jail sentence.

Preston Crown Court heard Philip Atkinson, 23, of Wellington Street, Nelson, drove his co-accused, Adam Butschok, 27, to a drug dealer in Salford in May last year.

Butschock, of Atkinson Street, Briercliffe, then bought enough cocaine for himself and for Atkinson's friend, who the pair have never named.

Louise Whaites, prosecuting, said the defendants were approached by police at a petrol station on the drive home. She said when asked if they had any drugs Butschock pulled cocaine from his sock.

Atkinson, who works for Greater Manchester Ambulance Service (GMAS), was charged with being concerned in supplying a controlled drug to another after telling police that he had asked Butschock to buy extra for his friend.

He pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing.

He is now facing an internal disciplinary hearing at work to decide his fate.

Butschock admitted possession of a controlled drug of class A with intent to supply.

They had been told they could be imprisoned for up to 12 months, but Judge Christopher Cornwall gave them both a 51-week suspended sentence and ordered them to do 250 hours' unpaid community work.

They were also given a four-month curfew order and ordered to pay £327 each in court costs.

Martine Snowden, defending Atkinson, said: "The irony for him is that his honesty in the interview with police has ended up in him being brought before the court.

"His friend had cocaine in his sock and had he said he knew nothing about it that probably would have been the end of it."

Tim Storrie, defending Butschock, an engineer, said he was of previously good character and had not intended to profit from supplying the cocaine.

A spokeswoman for GMAS said: "Following formal notification of Philip Atkinson's sentence at Preston Crown Court, we will determine his future employment with the organisation pending an internal disciplinary procedure."