Success came swiftly for Evening Chronicle reporter Owen McAteer when he set out to investigate drug dealing by Big Issue sellers in Newcastle.

He had been tipped off by a contact that Big Issue sellers were peddling drugs in Northumberland Street, the city’s main shopping area.

“I got into my jeans and sweatshirt and tried to look as scruffy as possible and went down there,” he said.

“I went to the first Big Issue seller and asked if he could sell us drugs and he basically said ‘yes’.”

Mr McAteer (28), who joined the paper two months ago, added: “It doesn’t usually happen quite like that but on this occasion it did.”

He bought £10 worth of what tests later showed was heroin from the salesman, who demanded another £5 for his trouble.

He told the reporter: “Whatever you want I can get for you and it will be good-quality stuff.

“I had some of this stuff yesterday and it blew my head off. I can sort you anything you’re after.”

The dealer also introduced him to another Big Issue seller, who said he could supply whatever drugs he wanted.”

Mr McAteer handed the drugs to the police and was interviewed about the transaction. His story, and photographer Tony Hall’s pictures – including one of reporter and dealer face-to-face – made a front-page lead and took out most of Page 5. The paper quoted the Big Issue’s regional manager as saying that the dealer would be banned from selling the magazine.

The Chronicle pair returned to the area the next day and met up again with the dealer’s friend. He repeated his boast that he could get hold of drugs and the paper carried the story on Page 5.

Mr McAteer said police had warned him that if he had bought drugs on the second visit, he would have been charged with possession.

He joined the Chronicle earlier this year, having previously worked on the Lancashire Evening Telegraph and the Western Gazette, where he was highly commended in the BT press awards for his work in exposing a money-launderer wanted by the FBI.

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