A TEENAGER kept a stash of cannabis at his auntie's sheltered accommodation, a court heard.

Connah Stockdale, 19, told police he intended to supply the drugs to close friends to pay off a debt, but had not sold any.

Stockdale hid the cannabis in a plastic box in the wardrobe and was found to have 32 snap bags, 29.4 grams of the drug in deals and 43-and-a-half grams of loose cannabis, Burnley Crown Court was told.

The defendant was said to have gone off the rails at the time and was causing great worry to his parents, but they now thought he had come to his senses.

Stockdale, of Suffolk Avenue, Burnley, had earlier admitted possessing cannabis with intent to supply last December.

He was given a community order with 120 hours unpaid work. The defendant had no previous con-victions.

The court heard Stockdale and a friend were staying in the guest room at the accommodation and staff became suspicious when they found a knife and detected a strong smell of what they thought was cannabis.

The defendant was arr-ested and made no comment. Later, Stockdale told officers he had a drugs debt to some dealers, was unable to pay and agreed to supply cannabis on their behalf.

Tim Brennand, for the defendant, said he was immature, naive and vuln-erable and had been manipulated. He was remorseful.

He said: "Since his arrest and the start of the proceedings, the effect has been to draw the family together in support of this defendant.

“He has been used by others. He became embroiled in possession with intent to supply, not for gain for himself, but to discharge a drugs debt."

Sentencing, Recorder Paul Reid, QC, said he was aware Stockdale had had difficulties in his life.

He said: “Their view (your parents’) at the moment, and I hope they are right in this, is that your arrest and your appearance before the crown court has brought you to your senses.

“All the signs are you are starting to put behind you this rather wayward way of life and starting to come back to being the son they had started to fail to recognise."