Three times Jason Halladey supplied cocaine to a man he'd met in a South Oxhey pub. 

Halladey didn't have the drugs on him, but would collect the wraps from others and then hand them over to his new pal he knew as "Chocco".

St Albans crown court heard Halladey had no idea the man was in fact an undercover cop.

Yesterday Halladey, 44, of Prestwick Road, South Oxhey, was given a 14 month jail sentence suspended for two years.

He appeared for sentence having earlier pleaded guilty to two offences of supplying cocaine and being concerned in the supply of the class A drug.

Laura Blackband prosecuting told how police launched an operation earlier this year to tackle the supply of drugs in the South Oxhey area.

It ran from the end of February to middle of June and involved under cover officers posing as users wanting to find out where they could score drugs and from whom.

As a result it was on May 14 when an undercover officer walked into the Grapevine pub in South Oxhey and after getting into conversation with Halladey who was in the bar, let it be known he was interested in buying cocaine.

Miss Blackband said the defendant told the officer he could "sort it out" and after making a phone call took £50 off Chocco.

He then left the pub but returned 10 minutes later with a wrap of cocaine which he handed to the officer.

The prosecutor said Halladey received a small amount of the cocaine from the wrap for his own use.

The court then heard how five days later the undercover cop again went into the Grapevine where he met the defendant.

On this occasion he handed him £40 for a wrap.

Once again Halladey made a call, then left the pub and returned a short while later with cocaine.

Miss Blackband said as before, his reward for his efforts was a small amount of cocaine.

The prosecutor said the last occasion was on May 21 when the undercover officer returned to the pub and this time handed Halladey £150 for three wraps of cocaine.

Once more the defendant left the pub and returned a short while later with the wraps. Once again there was a small amount for him for his troubles.

The court heard how in July of this year Halladey was arrested.

Presented with the evidence against him he pleaded guilty to the offences.

Yesterday the court heard Halladey who himself was a user of cocaine was terrified at the prospect of going to prison and was now remorseful.

Recorder David Mayall sentenced him to 14 months imprisonment but suspended it for two years.

In addition he was told he must perform 180 hours of unpaid work and he will also be subject to a six month home curfew between the hours of 8.30pm and 6am.

He will also have to pay a £100 victim surcharge.

The recorder told him: "You have children and embarrassed them and brought shame on your family."