A FORMER company proprietor resorted to delivering nearly 3kg of heroin after his building business collapsed.

James Fairbrother, 51, was jailed for eight years after he was caught transporting blocks of the drug for £500.

His barrister, Michael Scholes, said it was a “sad case” because Fairbrother resorted to the crime after his business failed due to the recession.

Mr Scholes told Liverpool Crown Court that, in the 1980s, Fairbrother was well on his way to becoming a “career criminal”, committing robberies and burglaries.

But, after being released from a three-year jail sentence, imposed in 1993, Fairbrother turned his back on crime.

Fairbrother, of Newark Street, Anfield, settled down, trained as a plasterer and started his own business.

But, in 2007, business dried up.

Mr Scholes said: “He has lost everything. It is a very sad case.”

Robert Jansen, prosecuting, said police noticed a car in County Road, Walton, on April 11. They saw front-seat passenger Fairbrother was not wearing a seatbelt and pulled the car over.

Fairbrother jumped out and fled. He was quickly arrested and a bag containing 500g blocks of heroin, totalling 2.93kg, was found.