POLICE who raided a house in Evesham found heroin worth up to £1,700 hidden in the garden under a brick.

A wallet belonging to Dale Ravenhill was discovered containing £5,380 in cash - and two sets of scales were also seized.

Ravenhill was arrested at the house in Pershore Road which belonged to Kenneth Dawber, Worcester Crown Court heard.

He had allowed Ravenhill to deal heroin from his premises to other drug users, said Trevor Meegan, prosecuting.

Ravenhill, aged 28, of Bewdley Street, Evesham, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to supply and was jailed for two-and-a-half years.

Dawber, 44, admitted permitting his home to be used for heroin supply and was ordered to carry out 240 hours community work and pay £250 court costs.

After the raid on July 12, 2001, Ravenhill admitted the money was his but insisted he had saved it from his social security benefits.

Confessed

He confessed to dealing on an intermittent basis to fund his own heroin addiction, said Mr Meegan.

Ravenhill had 10 previous drug convictions and Dawber had one for producing and possessing cannabis.

Gareth Walters, for Ravenhill - who appeared in the dock on crutches - said his client was still suffering from the consequences of a serious car crash last year. He fell into heroin use as a result.

Kim Aitken, defending, said Dawber broke away from a religious community at the age of 19 and his family was instructed to treat him as dead.

He was also involved in a serious accident, became surrounded by misfits, and began taking heroin.

Judge Michael Mott said there had been an inexcusable delay in bringing the case to court and he had reduced the sentences.

He ordered another hearing to deal with the confiscation of drug profits from Ravenhill.