A MAN who claimed he was babysitting a £450 haul of crack cocaine found down his boxer shorts has been jailed for 27 months.

Mohammed Fawad, 24, told police he was looking after the drugs for two men.

He said he was to give it back to them and anticipated he would get a small amount of crack cocaine for the service, Burnley Crown Court heard.

The defendant, of Colne Road, Burnley, admitted possessing crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Sentencing, Recorder Alison Bancroft told him he had to go to prison, even though he was lightly convicted and did not have a record for drugs offences.

Mercedeh Jabbari, prosecuting, told the court police community support officers in an unmarked vehicle were in the Holcombe Drive area of Burnley. The saw a Peugeot and recognised two of the men inside. Fawad was in the passenger seat.

The defendant got out of the vehicle and officers saw him go into a house. He was then seen to leave and tried to hide near a parked car.

Miss Jabbari said when the officers called his name, the defendant went over to them and was compliant. The officers requested two police officers attend and one searched the three men. One of the men had more than £900 on him and another also had cash on him.

Fawaz only had £30 on him but when he was searched crack cocaine was found.

He was holding 4.51 grammes of the drug in total in plastic bags. The drugs were worth £451 on the streets.

Miss Jabbari said Fawaz pleaded guilty on the basis he had been asked to look after the drugs by two men a few days before. He would say he was asked to keep hold of it and later give it back and thought he would be doing so the day of his arrest. The defendant had seven previous convictions.