A MAN who looked after a haul of cocaine in return for cannabis has walked free from court.

Jason Alston, 35, was paid with cannabis with a street value of £540 for minding the Class A drugs.

Police found £2,500 cash in a handbag when they raided his Burnley home, but Alston claimed it was money he earned as a self-employed laminate floorer and had given to his wife, the town's crown court heard.

Alston, said to have drink and drug problems, was given a 32-week jail term, suspended for 18 months, with supervision, the Think First programme and 120 hours unpaid work. He must also pay £350 costs.

The defendant, of Piccadilly Road, Burnley, admitted possessing 24.8 grammes of cocaine with intent to supply and possessing 248 grammes of cannabis. He claimed he thought the cannabis had been amphetamine.

Sentencing, Judge Christopher Cornwall said it was a matter of "enormous concern"" that anybody agreed to look after drugs on behalf of someone else.

He said: "That very act enables that other person to put those drugs into circulation. It is not in the public interest that cocaine circulates to other members of the community."

The judge added the defendant had been "paid fairly handsomely" for what he agreed to do and had he been facing sentence on the basis he knew it was cocaine he would have been going immediately to prison.

Francis McEntee, prosecuting, said police searched the defendant's home and found the cannabis resin.

The cocaine was recovered behind the boiler housing. Alston claimed he was holding the cocaine but had thought it was amphetamine.

Michael Murray, defending, said Alston knew allowing the drugs to be left at his house was a folly and would not be repeated.