A TOWN centre drinker who supplied heroin while on three suspended sentences has again walked free from court.

Kevin Wolton sold the drugs to an undercover police officer less than three months after being put on the last of the orders.

But after hearing the 31-year-old was no longer an addict and tackling his drink problem a judge imposed yet another suspended sentence.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how Wolton was caught in the police sting on Tuesday, October 15, last year.

An undercover cop using the name Stan infiltrated town centre addicts and spoke to Wolton about getting some drugs.

She said Wolton went off to see a man called Mark Dennis and returned with a wrap of heroin which he gave to the officer.

Wolton, of Culvery Court, Harding Street, pleaded guilty to one count of supplying a class A drug. The court heard he had a long list of previous convictions going back to 1999 mainly for shoplifting and begging but also for breaching an ASBO.

In July last year, on three consecutive weeks, magistrates imposed suspended sentences for breaching an ASBO, assault and handling stolen goods.

“This offence was committed during the currency of those sentences,” Miss Squire said.

Last year Wolton was one of three street drinkers put on an ASBO banning them from the town centre indefinitely.

Martin Wiggins, defending, said: “The probation service seem to be of the view that this is a man what has shown very considerable promise.

“Nonetheless he is in breach of a suspended sentence order by commission of further offences.”

He said the matter was a spontaneous act as he assisted in the drug deal in a bid to raise money for his drinking.

On another occasion he said he supplied the undercover officer with some cardboard after taking £20 from him for drugs.

“Mr Wolton is alcoholic and spending most of his time in something of a haze, drinking several litres of alcohol a day.

“Whenever opportunities to make money came he took it. His use of drugs, which ended about five years ago, meant he knew exactly what to do in order to get more alcohol to fund his addiction. It sets him apart from those perpetrating the supply of drugs for their own use.”

Passing sentence Judge Tim Mousley QC said: “The sentence I am going to impose upon you today is going to leave you in the position where you have got to make a choice in what to do with your life. You are clocking up suspended sentences. That will mean if you commit any offence in the very near future you are going to go to prison for a very long time.

“You have made progress recently and the pre-sentence report speaks in very positive terms about you. It seems there are the clearest signs you are taking steps to put your life in order and you are doing it off your own bat.”

He imposed an 18-month jail term suspended for two years with a six month drug rehabilitation requirement, and 140 hours of unpaid work.

Dennis, from Dulwich, London, pleaded guilty to three counts of supplying drugs and will be sentenced at a later date.