A HEROIN user who sold drugs in Ipswich town centre to fund his own habit has been jailed for 27 months.Daniel Byrne, 24, was arrested in the Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre after police officers saw him conducting a suspected drug deal in an alleyway leading from a car park to Upper Brook Street, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

A HEROIN user who sold drugs in Ipswich town centre to fund his own habit has been jailed for 27 months.

Daniel Byrne, 24, was arrested in the Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre after police officers saw him conducting a suspected drug deal in an alleyway leading from a car park to Upper Brook Street, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Police officers followed Byrne and tried to arrest him in Tavern Street, Ipswich, said Ian Pells, prosecuting.

However, Byrne had run off and was detained in the Tower Ramparts Shopping Centre after being tackled by a security guard on an escalator.

He was seen to put something in his mouth and initially refused requests to open his mouth. He eventually spat out six wraps of heroin and a further two wraps were found on the escalator.

Byrne, of Hackney, London, admitted possessing heroin with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of class A drugs.

Neil Macaulay, for Byrne said although his client had run away from police he hadn't used any violence.

He said Byrne was a regular user of heroin but was not a daily addict.

Sentencing Byrne Judge Neil McKittrick said Byrne had pleaded guilty to the offences on the basis that he was low in the chain of supply and had supplied a small amount of heroin to fund his own habit.