A BRADFORD man has avoided jail for possession of heroin with intent to supply.

Robert Parkhouse, 50, of Bolton Hall Road, was spotted by police officers riding a moped. He was found with a total of 14 wraps of heroin, with a total weight of 1.687 grams, when stopped by police.

He needed to reduce a drugs debt he had with drug dealers and owed them £500 and was working for them to pay off this debt.

His Nokia mobile phone was seized which contained messages related to drug dealing, Jessica Heggie, prosecuting, said.

The drugs he was found in possession of had a value of £84.35, Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday. The incident took place on October 15 last year.

Parkhouse has seven convictions for 14 offences, but none since 2001.

The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Richard Mansell QC told Parkhouse: "You got yourself into debt.

"You have managed to stay out of trouble for the last 20 years. I'm not sending you to prison."

Parkhouse was jailed for two years, suspended for two years, for a charge of possession with intent to supply a controlled class A drug, heroin.

He was also given a six-month drug rehabilitation order.

The court heard Parkhouse is also working with local drug rehabilitation services.