A BIKE-riding drug dealer who “did not understand the harm heroin and crack cocaine cause” has been jailed for 32 months.

Mark Dennis, who was spared jail in 2012 for similar offences, was caught again in an undercover sting.

A judge said she was alarmed that the 23-year-old told a probation officer he did not ‘understand the harm that drugs cause’.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how undercover police infiltrated a group of users in the town centre late last year.

On Tuesday, October 15, last year he said the officer, who was using the name Stan, was trying to buy some drugs.

He approached another man who went to see Dennis, who gave him a wrap of heroin to give to the officer.

As well as the drugs, he also got a phone number for the dealer and contacted him the following day to buy a wrap of crack cocaine from him.

The day after, he phoned him again and bought deals of each of the class A drugs from him.

Dennis, of Church Place, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of drugs and three counts of supply.

The court was told he was put on a suspended sentence in 2012 for three counts of being concerned in the supply of drugs.

On that occasion a judge decided not to jail him as he had kicked his habit, was at the bottom of the chain of supply, and because it took a year for the case to come to court.

Tony Bignall, defending, said the man who was his co-accused in the first matter had been put on a suspended sentence.

“Of course he is the one who gave the undercover officer the number so he could call Mr Dennis on subsequent occasions,” he said.

“Mr Dennis would then go off and get it and emerge, on one occasion on a bike, supplying what was wanted.

“What he got for his involvement was something for his own habit from the man who was supplying him for onward supply.

“I would submit Mr Dennis is right at the bottom of what is known as ‘the food chain’. His previous doesn’t help nor that he was on bail for the last offence.”

He said he was keen to keep his job and stay in contact with his children, and was also fearful of custody.

Passing sentence, Recorder Maria Lamb said: “I have read the letter which you have written to me and I have read the pre-sentence report.

“I don’t know who wrote it but it is a careful well-thought pre-sentence report. I am alarmed that you were not able to accept or understand the harm that drugs cause.

“That surprises me when you have been before the court before for similar sorts of offending.

“You know how the courts treat this. You had your chance. The guidelines are clear in relation to this.”