Nelson drugs dealer hid heroin in little sister’s bedroom

Tanveer Ayoub’s mother was so disgusted with what he had done and the potential danger he had put the 10-year-old in she will never allow him back to live there. She was to tell police people would turn up at the back of the house and whistle, her son would go out to them and return in a few minutes. She had suspected he might be supplying and had challenged him.

Burnley Crown Court heard how Ayoub had been in debt, had been attacked twice and “felt he had little choice” but to start selling.

The defendant (22), then of Harvey Street, Nelson, admitted possessing heroin with intent to supply. He was jailed for three and a half years.

Mr David Macro (prosecuting) said in September, police searched three addresses on Harvey Street linked to the defendant.

At one, they found cash, and at another they found plastic bag cut-offs and plastic bags which had been used to wrap drugs. Traces of heroin and Ayoub’s fingerprints were on them.

Mr Macro said at the home the defendant shared with his family, officers discovered 124 grams of heroin in two plastic bags in a compartment under a loose carpet in his little sister’s bedroom. One package had been split into 10 amounts.

Ayoub was arrested and when cautioned, replied: “It’s not mine. I am doing it for somebody else.” His mother told police she had noticed the defendant had begun to act differently about two weeks before. He had been constantly in and out of the house.

The prosecutor said Ayoub’s mother was horrified to think her daughter may have found the heroin and at the potential harm it could have caused her. The defendant made no comment when interviewed, but gave a prepared statement. Ayoub, who had been on remand 96 days, will face a proceeds of crime hearing.

Mr Mark Stuart (defending) said Ayoub had never lost his liberty before. Custody was inevitable because of the amount of drugs and because they were Class A.

He was attacked and injured over a debt in January and further assaulted in August. The barrister continued: “Subsequent to that, he became involved in these matters. He felt he had little choice but accepts it doesn’t amount to duress because he had the opportunity to go to the police.”

Mr Stuart said Ayoub wasn’t seen supplying but he accepted £1,000 was found and it came from selling drugs. He added: “He wasn’t going to keep that. He was given the drugs to supply on. He would be paid and would return the money to pay off a debt.

“This is a reluctant drug dealer, not in it commercially for himself, but in order to relieve that debt.”