A man has been jailed for18 months after admitting supplying heroin in Irvine and Kilwinning last year.

Matthew Ferguson from Kilwinning pleaded guilty when he appeared at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court on Monday, March 19 to supplying the Class A drug in the Ayrshire towns in September 2017.

The 39-year-old was arrested in November as part of an intelligence-led operation, co-ordinated between the Ayrshire and Specialist Crime Divisions, targeting the supply of controlled drugs in the area.

Detective Superintendent Jim Kerr of Police Scotland said: “This the second conviction in as many weeks in relation to this operation. The sentence handed to Ferguson reinforces the message that supplying drugs that blight our communities will not be tolerated by Police Scotland or North Ayrshire communities.”