A street cleaner who sold heroin and cocaine from his dust cart as he did his daily rounds has been jailed for six years.

Edgerton Walker, from Parchmore Road, Croydon, pleaded guilty to five counts of supplying a class A drug to an undercover police officer at Croydon Crown Court last Friday.

Walker, 37, was an employee of Cleanaway, the company contracted by Croydon Council to carry out street cleaning in the borough.

Daily rounds The dad-of-three carried out daily rounds in West Croydon and the court heard he sold drugs, including crack cocaine and heroin, to an undercover police officer from his dust cart.

After extensive surveillance and intelligence reports, Croydon police set up a two-week covert operation.

Officers arrested Walker, who had worked for Cleanaway for two years, in May. He has been held in custody since.

Walker appeared at Croydon Crown Court last Friday charged with a total of eight offences relating to the supply of class A drugs.

He only pleaded guilty to five of the counts. The judge ordered that the remaining three counts lie on file.

Sentenced One of Walker's sons watched from the public gallery as his father was sentenced to a total of 13-and-a-half years, although he will only serve six years as the sentences are to run concurrently.

Judge Simon Pratt said any sentence should reflect the severity of the offence.

Walker has to return to court on September 23 when a judge will decide whether the court can seize any assets gained under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Detective Sergeant Brian Cleobury, of Croydon police drugs task force, said after the hearing: "I think six years is a fair sentence for what Walker has done.

"As a result drug users are now going out of the borough which suggests it was a successful drug operation.

"It was an unusual case and Walker was abusing his position.

"Through using covert policing and intelligence we were given he has been sent to prison for six years."

Sacked Walker was sacked by Cleanaway in June after he failed to turn up for work following his arrest.

The company was not aware of his arrest although managers have since been informed by the police.

A Croydon Council spokesman said: "Neither the council nor the contractors were informed by the Crown Prosecution Service about this case.

"We will always support the police and the courts in taking tough action against drug offences because drugs are often the root cause of all kinds of criminal activity.

"We expect all members of staff working in public service for and on behalf of the council to conduct themselves properly and abide by the law at all times."