A banned driver confronted by police had an illicit drugs haul imported from Pakistan under the seat of his car, a court heard.

Shabaz Mohammed Khan, 22, who was under the influence of valium when he had smashed into a parked car four months before, tried to conceal his identity and gave false details both times.

The defendant, said to have gone off the rails when his parents and elder brother went to Pakistan, was minding the 428 tamazepam tablets, class C drugs worth £200, for a friend, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Khan avoided jail after Recorder Lowe said he accepted his behaviour was out of character and had occurred at a time of family difficulties.

The judge added the defendant had flagrantly breached court orders and could not have complained if he had been sent to prison.

The defendant, of Every Street, Nelson, admitted two allegations of driving while disqualfied, driving while unfit through drugs and possessing a Class C drug with intent to supply.

He was given 28 weeks in jail, suspended for 12 months, with 80 hours community punishment. He was also banned for a year.

John Beggs, prosecuting, told the court last May, the defendant collided with a car. Khan, who had been banned two weeks before, appeared sleepy bat the wheel and was unable to hold a conversation. The car was damaged and the offside tyre demolished.

A doctor was called to the police station, blood was taken and the defendant was found to have tamazepam and cannabis in his sytem as well as a high concentration of diazepam-valium.

He was interviewed and bailed but was arrested accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice.

He was questioned again, said he had given his brother's name and was given police bail.

Mr Beggs said in the early hours in September police approached a parked car surrounded by youths in Preston. The vehicle smelled of cannabis and Khan again gave his brother's details. The 428 blue tamazepam capsules, worth just over £200, were found under the driver's seat.

The prosecutor said Khan told officers the capsules were from Pakistan and he was looking after them. He had put the bag in his car because people were "dipping" into it.

Mark Stuart, defending, said Khan had got to 21 without offending and had then committed the offences in five or six months.

The offences happened at a time of great turmoil when both his parents and elder brother had gone to Pakistan, where his father had died.

The offences were explicable but not excusable but fortunately family control was now back in place as the defendant's brother had come home and taken the defendant into his business.

Mr Stuart said Khan's friend had asked him to hold the tamazepam. At first he did not know they were illegal drugs and believed they were medicine. He stored the drugs in the car.

The barrister went on: "He wasn't storing them for his own personal use or to make money or for reward out of supply. He was holding them on behalf of this other person as favour."