A FATHER-OF-FIVE who admitted possessing a stun gun and nearly £60,000 of amphetamine and cannabis has been jailed for five years.

Burnley Crown Court heard police searched a house in Barkerhouse Lane, Nelson, as part of an investigation into another man.

But once inside they found the drugs and weapon belonging to Abid Ashraf, also of Barkerhouse Lane.

During the search at around 1.15pm on November 17, last year, police found tubs and bins containing £8,600 of cannabis and £7,900 of cannabis resin in the loft.

They also found bags of white powder in the lounge and hallway.

When sent for analysis, experts found it was amphetamine varying in purity between six and 20 per cent.

Police said those drugs had a street value of £42,750.

Prosecutor David Clarke told the court Ashraf’s fingerprints were found on the bags containing the drugs.

A coat was also found containing the stun gun in one pocket and a bottle of vodka in the other.

Although no fingerprints were found on the gun, traces of Ashraf’s DNA was found on the vodka bottle, Mr Clarke said.

He said: “The defendant says this coat had simply been sat there for a year with an item in it he had never used.

“The prosecution’s view is he wouldn’t go out in an aggressive way with the weapon.

“But he would have gone out to deal drugs and had it as protection.”

The court heard the gun was tested by the police and fired once before it lost charge. Experts could not determine whether it had been charged in the previous 12 months or if had been untouched.

Defending, James Heyworth said his client who was jailed for possession with intent to supply cannabis and amphetamines in 2014, had got into debt after using drugs himself and was trying to pay his creditors back.

He also said his client had been given the gun by a friend in Turkey, did not want it and did not use it.

Mr Heyworth said: “There is a gap in offending. Unfortunately for him he now finds himself in front of the court for similar matters. He’s unfortunately returned to drug use, drug debt and drug dealing”

Ashraf pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cannabis and amphetamine and possessing a firearm. He was jailed for a total of five years.

An order was also made for the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and weapon.