A HEROIN dealer who hid £2,780 of diamorphine in his shoe escaped a jail sentence.

Martin Bishop, 56, of Betjeman Avenue, Caldicot, was given a 12-month sentence suspended for two years and a two-year supervision order for possessing heroin with intent to supply.

Newport crown court heard Bishop's car was stopped by police on August 23 last year.

Officers noticed him fidgeting and trying to move something into his shoe.

When they searched him they found a golf ball sized item in his shoe.

He tried to kick it away, but officers recovered it.

It turned out to be 27.89g of diamorphine, worth around £800 wholesale, but with a potential street value of £2,780 when cut.

But, the court heard, Bishop was not a heroin user himself and had bought the drugs for his girlfriend and five other acquaintances.

Sarah Waters, defending, said: "It was a syndicate, where they pooled money to obtain a bulk purchase."

He had not intended to deal the heroin widely or for profit.

The court also heard he was at the time caring for an ill former girlfriend, who he found dead earlier this month.

Ms Waters said: "This has had a very significant impact upon him."

Sentencing him, Judge Roderick Denyer said: "Normally even dealing a relatively small amount of heroin requires an immediate custodial sentence."

But, he said he was being particularly lenient, because of Bishop's circumstances.

He said: "At this time you were involved with a woman who was highly dependent on you and you looked after her."

Heroin 'destroys families' AFTEr the case, detective sergeant Garry Jones of Gwent Police said: "Heroin is such a destructive drug, not only to the users but to their families.

"Those addicted may be trying to make an effort to kick the habit.

"Having people like Mike Bishop around helping them along just frustrates the situation."

Police told the Argus that when they searched former pub The Pill House, where Bishop was living at the time, they found it a derelict mess, littered with used needles and other drugs paraphernalia.