A drug user who supplied methadone to an 18-year-old Chatham man who died after drinking it, has been jailed for five years.
Spencer Entwhistle, 43, of Clifton Close, Strood, was jailed for supplying a class A drug, at Maidstone Crown Court.
During his trial the court heard how on September 16, 2007 Enwhistle had supplied one bottle of methadone to Carl Richmond, who lived at Regent House, Chatham High Street, in exchange for eight cans of lager.
As a result of taking the drug, Mr Richmond died.
Entwhistle was arrested two days later and charged with the offence of supplying a class A drug.
He pleaded not guilty but was found guilty by a jury on Friday, July 3.
Det Con Chris Watson said: “‘In securing this conviction we have taken a persistent offender off of the streets of Medway.
“Entwhistle has caused misery for many people in both supplying drugs and carrying out a number of thefts to fund his own habit.
“Police in Medway take drug offences extremely seriously, and those found to be dealing class A-drugs will be dealt with robustly by the police and the courts.
“Hopefully this sentence will send out a clear message that we are very effective in convicting individuals involved in this kind of illegal activity.
“We are really pleased with the length of the sentence given.
“It reflects the severity of dealing in class A-drugs and should act as a deterrent to those involved in the supplying and taking of illegal drugs of any kind.”