A DRUG addict accidentally killed his friend by helping him to inject heroin.

Philip Holderness has now been jailed for 30 months for the manslaughter of Anthony Quinn, 51.

Holderness, 46, of Bradbury Street, Ravensthorpe, told police Mr Quinn had been struggling to find a vein on May 9 last year.

A combination of drugs and alcohol killed him.

Jailing Holderness, Judge Scott Wolstenholme said he had not meant to hurt his friend.

But he said: “I cannot accept that the death of somebody given heroin is entirely unforeseen.

“Taking heroin is inherently a risky activity and everybody knows that, every week an addict dies somewhere from an accidental overdose.

“The fact you were prepared to inject your friend is a demonstration of the depths somebody in the grip of heroin gets.”