A drug addict caught minding almost £200,000 of heroin in a locked safe in his bedroom was jailed for more than five years.
Anthony Simpson, 41, said he agreed to look after nearly two kilos of heroin in return for a small quantity of drugs to use himself.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how police raided his home in Thackeray Road, St Helens, at around 4.50pm on August 10 this year.
Chris Taylor, prosecuting, said officers were actually looking for firearms – although none were recovered at the property.
When Simpson was questioned about the safe, he said it might have belonged to his late mum, from whom he inherited the house.
He said he did not have a key and after no key was found, a locksmith was called to force it open.
Mr Taylor said police discovered packages containing 1.9kg of heroin, at around 60% purity.
When interviewed Simpson said other men had been accessing his home for the last couple of months.
He said his DNA or fingerprints would not be found inside the safe, which was confirmed by forensic experts.
Simpson pleaded guilty on the basis that the drugs belonged to someone else.
He said: “I am not willing to name this person for fear of reprisals.”
Simpson pleaded guilty to possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply.
He has four previous convictions for 15 offences and was jailed for 33 months in 2012 for supplying Class A drugs.
Katy Appleton, defending, said Simpson had been a full-time carer for his mum for 15 years before she died in April.
She said: “The house was then used by others to take drugs. He has been addicted to heroin and crack cocaine for the last 25 years.”
Judge David Aubrey, QC, accepted that Simpson may not have ever opened the safe, but said he would have known it contained a large quantity of drugs.
He jailed Simpson for five years and four months, telling him: “By minding these drugs you were perpetuating the circulation of Class A controlled drugs within the community.”
Merseyside Police neighbourhood inspector Martin Earl said: “This was part of a coordinated operation utilising officers from specialist departments and a substantial quantity of drugs has been prevented from reaching the streets of St Helens.
“Such a positive result was made possible as a result of community intelligence and we would like to reassure the public that we will respond diligently to any information we receive.”
Anyone with information on drug supply can call officers via the 101 number or Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
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Source: http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/