AN EX-HEROIN addict who had 29 live bullets stashed away at his home in Padiham has been jailed for six months, Burnley Crown Court heard Wayne Mayor, 41, a convicted robber, claimed a friend had brought them to his house and left them and he daren’t go to the police because of his record.

Jobless Mayor, said to have battled a heroin addiction for 20 years, had been jailed for the robbery with an imitation firearm in 1992, but had no offences for real firearms on his record.

The defendant, of Russell Terrace, Padiham, had admitted possessing ammunition without a firearms certificate and had been committed for sentence by Pennine magistrates.

Tim Storrie, prosecuting, said Mayor had been arrested over the theft of a wallet and during investigations into that, police searched his home.

They found 29, 0.22 rim fire cartridges for which he had no certificate. He was questioned and made no comment.

Simon Gurney, for Mayor, said he had not offended for 13 years and had done good work in the community.

A friend staying with him, had brought the ammunition and left it. Mayor knew the right thing was to take it to the police and explain how he came to have it, but, given his record, he thought they would not believe him.

Mr Gurney said Mayor made the foolish decision to keep the ammunition. Mr Gurney said: “He had no intention to use it. Plainly, there was no firearm for which it could be used.”

The barrister added the defendant had been doing voluntary work for five years until the deaths of his parents within eight weeks of each other earlier this year. He had been a Prince’s Trust mentor, advising on avoiding offending and drugs, and had worked with the Youth Offending Team and Inspire.

Sentencing, Recorder Andrew Long told Mayor: “Offences involving the unlawful possession of live ammunition must always attract a custodial sentence, both to punish you and deter others.”

The judge said he accepted Mayor had had no ulterior intentions and did not have the bullets for unlawful purposes, but they were items very much in demand on the black market and were used to maim and kill, adding: “The heroin dealers who you still know would dearly love to have bought them from you.”