A bike riding drugs peddler who was caught red handed selling heroin and crack cocaine has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Eagle eyed officers spotted Christopher Simpkins cycling up to a customer and dealing a couple of wraps for £25.

And when they stepped in to arrest the 37-year-old they found he had up to £350 worth of hard drugs as well as £110 in cash.

Hannah Squire, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how he was caught in the town centre on Thursday October 15 last year.

She said "Officers were on duty not really far away from this court and they saw the defendant riding a bike.

"One of the officers was aware that he may be dealing drugs so they kept an eye on him.

"They saw what they believed to be a drug exchange take place and they moved in and arrested the defendant and he had some money and a deal of drugs.

"He was taken to Gablecross police station and there he was seen to drop a package, it was caught on CCTV, and with in that package were 22 wraps: 10 of heroin and 12 crack cocaine.

"He also had in his possession £110 which included the £25 in his hand when he was arrested. His phone was taken from him and on it were messages indicative of the supply of class A drugs."

Simpkins, of Cricklade Road, pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing drugs with intent to supply.

The court heard he had a long list of crime and had in 2012 he was jailed for 18 months for being concerned in the supply of drugs after a covert police operation.

Alex Daymond, defending, said looking at his previous offences it was no surprise to find he was a long term addict.

"He has had a heroin problem for many, many years. He has been offending acquisitively to fund that," he said.

He said he lived a 'chaotic lifestyle' meaning he could not work to pay off the debts he accrued to his dealers.

They suggested that he sell some drugs for them in order to pay off what he owed and he had little choice but to agree.

"He does want to give up heroin but he is not able to face up to it at the moment. It is really a question of how long the sentence should be," Mr Daymond said.

Jailing him Judge Peter Blair QC said "You contributed to supporting the misery of drug addiction by your complying with the request to help other people supply it.

"You understand the consequences that the courts are very clear in sending people to prison if they are involved in the supply of class A drugs, and that is what will happen to you today.

"Your previous convictions don't help you one little bit. If you are convicted of an offence like this in the future now you will bet a minimum seven years."