A man willingly kept more than 20kg of class A drugs in his house by way of paying back a debt he had rung up to drug dealers.

Faheem Khan allowed his house in Blackburn to be used by Mehair Ali and others for the storing of a large amount of cocaine and a small amount of heroin, stored mostly in the master bedroom of Khan and his wife, Rabbia Sajjad.

Khan said he had become close with the drug dealers during a difficult period in his life when he lost his father to illness, and used the friendship and the drugs they would give him to “fill the void.”

He distanced himself from the group but when he tried to go back, they said they owed him between £2,000-2,300 for the drugs, and he would either have to pay up front or pay his debt by street dealing for them.

Instead, it was agreed that he could become effectively a ‘warehouseman’, and the drugs would be stored at his house in Ailsa Road.

During a trial of issue hearing, the court heard evidence given by prosecuting barrister Kimberly Obrusik and detective sergeant Sibley, the officer in charge of the case.

It was said on April 4, 2022, a van being driven by Ali stopped outside the house in Ailsa Road and he got out and entered the property.

He was seen leaving with a large rectangular bag which he put into the rear of the van, which was when he was stopped by officers.

They found 5kg of cocaine wrapped into individual 1kg blocks.

The house was searched and various drugs, in excess of 18kg, were found in different bags, mainly packaged into 1kg blocks.

Mobile phones located in the house were also seized and on each there was found to be an app called Wicker, used for sending encrypted messages.

On this app, it was said Khan was known by the username Tyson453, Sajjad by Cashew22, and Ali as Pahktoon1.

Khan said in his evidence he was in fact both Tyson453 and Cashew22 having downloaded the app onto his wife’s phone when his phone crashed and set up a new account rather than using his old one.

He continued by saying the drug dealers had made threats to his family during an incident in a car, but this was not mentioned in his basis of plea and was only heard for the first time when giving evidence at the hearing.

Judge Andrew Jeffries said of this: “That’s a strange omission if true, which leads me to believe it is not.”

He added: “This was a group of friends who were carrying out different roles.

"I do accept the change in his behaviour is no doubt in large part due to his serious involvement in the criminal underworld and drug dealing world he had become involved in.”

Regarding the other defendants, Ms Obrusik said the Crown maintained it was Sajjad sending messages using the Wicker app and not Khan on her behalf.

However, she said: “Her involvement in this enterprise was as a result of her husband’s involvement, and the Crown accept she would not have been involved but for him.”

She added Ali would collect and deliver drugs across the country, with locations such as Derby and West Bromwich recovered from the messages.

All three defendants were interviewed and provided no comment.

Before mitigation was heard with regard to Sajjad, Judge Jeffries made clear he would give her a conditional discharge.

She had already been in custody and spent time on a tag, serving effectively the equivalent of a 16-month sentence.

He said: “That might have more long-term benefits than me concocting some suspended sentence or community order.

“I am not convinced by everything you told me, but what I am sure of us but for your husband, you would not be sitting in the dock.

"I hope and trust the whole experience has taught you a lesson you will not forget and I rather suspect the court will not see you again.”

Mitigating for Khan, Brendan O’Leary said his client had shown genuine remorse and had gone through a significant part of his life as a law-abiding citizen.

“Looking back now, he can see what a terrible mistake he made. He has applied himself diligently, thoughtfully, and responsibly, while in custody,” Mr O’Leary said.

For Ali, Mark Shanks said his client grew up in Bedfordshire and moved to the North West with his wife when he wanted to restart his life.

He said Ali has “huge regrets” and is “extremely remorseful.”

Sentencing, Judge Jeffries said: “You both have played a part in an operation of drug supply. You, Mr Khan, were the warehouseman, effectively, for large quantities of class A drugs.

"You, Mr Ali, were not just a courier, you were much more than that, distributing large quantities of class A drugs.

“It gives me no pleasure in sentencing two obviously intelligent, educated men, to what will be long prison sentences, but that is the consequence that comes from involving yourself in the drug trade.

“Either people choose not to look at or are unaware of the violence and misery that accompanies drug use.”

Sajjad, 28, of Ailsa Road, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to one count of permitting premises to be used for supply of class A drugs and was given a two-year community order.

Khan, 32, of Durham Close, Blackburn, and Ali, 38, of West Drive, Bury, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin and cocaine.

Khan was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison; Ali to seven years and 10 months.