AN elderly security guard was drawn into the murky world of heroin dealing after he became infatuated with a 22-year-old prostitute, a court heard.

Ian Brown, 64, of Heythrop Drive, Middlesbrough, began dealing £5 wraps of heroin in a misguided attempt to wean the woman off the drug and control her habit.

He also racked up debts of £24,000 in order to pay for her heroin consumption, Teesside Crown Court heard.

Brown's drug-dealing was brought to end when police raided a security cabin on a housing construction site in Redcar on June 22, last year, where he was employed.

There they found piles of the drug in powder form, equally divided up, along with a number of silver foil wraps and a Stanley knife.

Sarah Mallett, prosecuting, said police also searched Brown's home and found a cash book detailing the heroin deals and lists of names.

A further quantity of the drug was then discovered after officers stopped Brown's car on July 1.

Brown told police he was desperate for money and would deal heroin to his clients through word of mouth.

Ian West, for Brown, who admitted possessing 9.95 grams of a class A drug with intent to supply, said he believed that by providing the prostitute with money to pay for heroin, she would no longer have to walk the streets, but, in doing so, he was effectively "robbing Peter to pay Paul".

Brown then moved from giving her money to actually dealing in the drug after being introduced to her circle of friends in the drugs world.

Mr West said: "He thought he could control how much heroin she got and finance it by selling the remainder of it.

"But it became a vicious circle because she was consuming more and more."

He added: "He was in a bit of a financial mess and his infatuation and foolishness got him into a situation where he added and added to his problems."

The barrister said Brown, who divorced from his wife following his relationship with the prostitute, recognised he was an "old fool" and there was no need to lock him up to teach him a lesson.

But his argument was rejected by Judge John Walford, who sentenced him to three years and said he would be failing in his duty not to pass a custodial sentence.

After the trial, Detective Constable Richie Lawrenson said: "Ian Brown was employed as a site security officer and was placed in a position of trust.

"He made a choice to deal in heroin, believing that he would not be caught. He was wrong, and is now serving a prison sentence."