A FATHER-OF-THREE is starting six years in jail after his heroin dealing was uncovered by Buster the drugs dog.

Mark Walker, 30, admitted three counts of possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply and was locked up for two years for each charge.

His partner, Alison Kernan, 29, was spared prison by judge George Moorhouse for her part in Walker's illicit trade so she can care for their children.

Teesside Crown Court heard yesterday how police raided the couple's home in Newbury Way, Billingham, on October 30, last year, when Buster helped find a small quantity of powder behind a cabinet in the living room.

Sarah Mallett, prosecuting, said that nearly £4,000 was recovered from various places in the house, along with the 3.11 grams of heroin.

Two months later, a search of another property in Billingham resulted in Kernan, who was staying there with the children and her parents, producing two bags of powder, totalling 10.13 grams, from her underwear.

But Buster headed for the kitchen of the house in Sherburn Avenue and directed his handler to loose floorboards, under which 101 grams of heroin, worth more than £10,000, was found, along with cash.

On June 14, police again raided the house in Newbury Way and Kernan tried to hide a bag of drugs, but dropped it on the floor.

A subsequent search after she was taken to the police station revealed nearly 60 grams of heroin hidden about her body.

Throughout her questioning, Kernan told police she was holding the drugs to stop Walker taking too much at once, and admitted two counts of possession with intent to supply on that basis.

She was given a two-year sentence suspended for two years and put on a supervision order for the same period.