A DRUG addict who sold thousands of pounds of former legal highs from his vaping shop has been jailed.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Mark Rivers bulk bought the Class B synthetic cannabinoids when they were still legal from a legitimate trader in Birmingham.

But the 33-year-old continued to sell the drugs from his business premises in Parker Lane, Burnley, after legislation banning them came into force in May 2016.

Rivers, who used to have a vape shop in Blackburn, also became addicted to the products, which had names like Voodoo, Pandora’s box, Exodus damnation, Happy Joker, Juicy fruit and Insane Joker.

His partner Stacey McKay, 28, of Travis Street, Burnley, also pleaded guilty to possessing a legal high with intent to supply it.

Prosecuting, Stephen Parker said: “Shortly before 5pm on May 20, 2017 police officers went to execute a warrant at the business premises of Mr Rivers which was a vape shop in Parker Lane in Burnley town centre.

Ms McKay was also present working behind the counter at the shop. Mr Rivers was advised the police were going to search the premises. They recovered quantity of synthetic cannabinoids.”

The drugs were found in a cupboard in the shop, on Rivers and in a Chevrolet Lacetti belonging to Rivers, They were either in one gram or three gram bags.

Rivers was arrested but McKay was not at that stage.

Mr Parker said: “A few hours later Ms McKay had gone back to their home address in Travis Street, Burnley, prior to the police searching it.

“Some police officers went to the front and others went to the back. They saw a bag thrown out of an upstairs window onto the outhouse roof of the property next door. In that bag was two grams of ecstasy and synthetic cannabinoids.”

McKay was arrested and when police searched the house they found nearly half a kilo of synthetic cannabinoids.

During all the searches police found synthetic cannabinoids valued at £6,130.

Rivers pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply, which put him in breach of a two year suspended sentence he was given in 2016 for possessing cocaine with intent to supply.

McKay pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a Class B drug with intent to supply and possessing ecstasy.

Defending Rivers, Mark Stuart said his client had bought the synthetic cannabinoids when they were legal but accepted he continued to sell them when they were no longer so.

He also said his client was put under serious pressure to transport the cocaine in 2016 when he had his business in Blackburn and had moved his shop to Burnley in order to escape the people controlling him.

Also defending McKay, Mr Stuart said her life began to fall apart when her parents died and her child was put in the care of another family member. But he said she was now willing to seek help in battling her drug problem and getting into employment for the first time.

Rivers was jailed for 20 months. McKay was given a 12 month community order, with a 25 day rehabilitation activity requirement and 80 hours of unpaid work.