A love-struck Ashford busker has been left singing the blues... after being jailed for dealing in heroin.

Long-haired Matthew Harris sat in the dock at Canterbury Crown Court blowing kisses to his lover Michelle.

The 41-year-old troubled troubadour and his sweetheart had already incurred the wrath of the judge by swapping a passionate embrace prior to the hearing.

Judge Adele Williams told the snoggers: “That is really inappropriate!” before ordering the girlfriend to view the case in the public gallery upstairs.

Harris, of Meadowsweet House, Hackfield, then sat sobbing as the court heard how he was befriended by an undercover police officer in the town.

He was later arrested as part of Operation Jollity, a police crackdown on drug dealing in the streets of Ashford, Folkestone and Thanet.

Prosecutor Jim Harvey told how the officer befriended the busker who introduced him to another dealer, called Conway, in Somerset Road in July last year. Conway was later jailed for five years for dealing.

"It was a very difficult time in his life and he was desperate for drugs" - Nicholas Maggs, defending

The following day the two arranged to buy another £20 bag of heroin after meeting up near the Memorial Gardens in Ashford - before heading near to a fast food restaurant in Wellesley Road, where they had another bag of drugs from Conway.

Defence barrister Nicholas Maggs told how at the time Harris was living rough and facing drink and drugs addictions.

“It was a very difficult time in his life and he was desperate for drugs, “ he added.

But Mr Maggs said that since meeting Michelle, Harris was turning around his life – and had sought help with his addiction problems.

“This is now a stable relationship and he now has a permanent home. He has also sought help with Turning Point, an organisation which helps addicts, “ he added.

Mr Maggs said Harris, who has previous convictions for possessing drugs, had acted as “ a conduit” between the undercover officer and “those higher up the chain”.

The street singer, who admitted being concerned in the supply of class A drugs, sat through the hearing whispering “I love you” to his girlfriend. He was jailed for 18 months.