Police returning property to a victim of crime were presented with evidence of three more offences.

Blackburn magistrates heard Ian McGarry invited the officers into his home where they saw heroin, cocaine and Tramadol on the table.

McGarry, 49, of Hall Carr Road, Rawtenstall, pleaded guilty to possession of all three drugs. He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months.

Carl Gaffney, prosecuting, said the offences went back to December 2022 and he could offer no explanation for why they had taken so long to come to court.

“The police did not have to do any detective work to solve the case,” said Mr Gaffney.

“They went to his house to return some property and he invited him in. They just saw the drugs lying there on the table.”

Jonathan Taylor, defending, said it had always been accepted the drugs were for personal use.

“He had been the victim of a stabbing and the police were returning property to him which had been part of that case,” said Mr Taylor.