A HEROIN DEALER who breached the terms of his community sentence has been spared jail.

Jason Lee Bailey, originally of Church Street, Weymouth, had previously admitted selling a £10 wrap of diamorphine to an undercover police officer in Weymouth and was given a community order in May 2010.

The 39-year-old appeared at Dorchester Crown Court for breaching the conditions of his sentence by failing to attend appointments as part of drugs rehabilitation programme requirement and was sentenced to a two year conditional discharge.

He was one of 33 people prosecuted for drug supply offences following Dorset Police’s Operation Dismantle in November 2009.

Tim Shorter, defending, told the court that Bailey, who now lives in Walpole Road, Bournemouth, was disabled and suffered from problems with his legs.

He said: “Bailey is in a desperate state and is due to have a hip replacement for one or both of his legs.

“His body is that of a crooked man and to some extent the issues with the order arose from the disability.”

Judge Roger Jarvis told the defendant: “Generally when anyone admits your offence a prison sentence is inevitable but there are obviously exceptions and it seems to me that in your case the court needs to consider an exceptional course.

“You admitted the offence and you have not been in trouble since then.

“Your sad physical disabilities are for everyone to observe and there are a number of ordeals ahead of you.

“In your unusual circumstances I will make a two year conditional discharge.

“But you can have no doubt that if you get into fresh trouble you will serve prison time.”