2:22pm Tuesday 19th February 2008
By Wendy Barlow
A MAN who had a drugs haul at his home claimed he was using the substances to survive after breaking "every bone in his body," a court heard.
Burnley Crown Court was told how David Linacre, 37, kept up to 1,000 diazepam tablets at his home in Rishton after his arrest for vandalising a home in Haslingden.
He was arrested in Rawtenstall where he was found with a baseball bat in his car.
When his home, in Edward Street, Rishton, was examined it was discovered that he was growing cannabis and also had valium and a stanozol, a steroid type drug.
Linacre, who had previous convictions for drugs offences, was handed a seven-month suspended prison sentence.
He admitted growing cannabis, two counts of possessing a Class C controlled drug with intent to supply and using racially aggravated threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.
Francis McEntee, prosecuting, told the court last July the defendant and another man attended a block of flats in Haslingden in a car. Linacre hurled a racist remark, then got a baseball bat out of the vehicle and leaned through the window of the premises shouting.
Nearby police officers heard a smashing sound and the defendant was later found in Rawtenstall and a baseball bat was recovered from the front passenger footwell of the car.
Mr McEntee said Linacre was arrested and interviewed. He said he had had property stolen and he had gone to the flat to recover it.
Linacre's home was then searched.
The prosecutor said cannabis plants were being cultivated with a hydroponic system and when questioned, Linacre accepted he had bought specialist equipment for growing the drug. There were 15 plants in various stages of progress.
Also recovered were 448 diazepam tablets and 137 capsules of stanozol, which Linacre said he had acquired in a gym.
Mr McEntee said Linacre told officers he had suffered a serious of injuries in his life and had broken "every bone in his body" at different times.
He told he was "using the drugs to survive".
He said he would take four or five diazepam tablets a night and would buy 1,000 tablets for £120.. He had 10 previous convictions, including possessing cannabis resin and cocaine.
Sarah Spear, prosecuting, said Linacre was upset after being burgled.
She said: "He should have telephoned the police, but he did not. The next day he and a friend went round to look for the thief to get the money back."
© Copyright 2001-2012 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/trade_directory/