POLICE who were trying to return a stray dog to its home were confronted by a drunken topless male with blood on his face.

Blackburn magistrates heard Anthony Lomax tried to set the animal on the officers despite them explaining they were there to help.

The court was told officers arrested him and went into the house because of child welfare concerns and in an upstairs bedroom they discovered a cannabis farm.

Lomax, 36, and Hayley Wallbank, 39, both of Addison Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to producing cannabis.

Lomax also pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker. Wallbank was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 20 days rehabilitation activity requirement, fined £40 and ordered to pay £85 costs and £95 victim surcharge. Lomax was made subject to a community order for 12 months with 25 days rehabilitation activity requirement and 150 hours unpaid work. He was ordered to pay £85 costs and £95 victim surcharge.

Stacey Morrow, prosecuting, said police were alerted to a dog running loose on Preston New Road just after midnight. The animal was trying to get into the back yard of a property and officers went to the front of the house an knocked on the door and window trying to raise a response.

“They heard a male shouting “dick heads” and Lomax then came to the door slurring his words and unsteady on his feet,” said Miss Morrow.

“The officers tried to explain about the dog but his mood fluctuated from being reasonable to being aggressive.”

Miss Morrow said at one stage Lomax tried to set the dog on the officer.

“They said they were there to help but his behaviour continued to be erratic and he was threatening,” she said.

“He became more threatening and was arrested.”

When an officer went into the house she found Wallbank in bed but saw a bright light coming from under another bedroom door. She looked in discovered the cannabis cultivation set-up.

Miss Morrow said the plants would have had a potential yield with a street value of between £1,200 and £1,600.

Damien Pickup, defending Wallbank, said his client’s involvement in the cannabis production was minimal.

“She wasn’t involved in the setting up or maintenance of the farm, in fact she was told to stay out of the room by her co-accused,” said Mr Pickup.

“She accepts that she used the cannabis that was grown.”

Lomax said he was no usually a drinker but at the time of the offence had been drinking heavily because of problems with child access caused by the covid situation.