A ONE-time promising boxer who raided a home while high on a body building drug has kept his freedom.

Burnley Crown Court heard how taxi worker Mohammed Yasin, 27, who was addicted to GHB, had behaved erratically and become aggressive. He had been unable to sleep or eat and was alienated from those around him after falling victim to the drug.

Yasin broke into the complainant's house because the man owed him money from a loan and intended to hand back the stolen property after the court case.

Judge Anthony Proctor spared the defendant jail after saying even though he had been stupid and had been in and out of trouble over the years the burglary was not the usual sort.

He added Yasin, said to have had the makings of a boxer at one time, could be given a community sentence which would be "in line with current thinking" and was because of the circumstances of the case.

The judge told Yasin: "You are very lucky. When I came into court I was minded to impose a prison sentence. Be very careful. You are living on the edge."

The defendant, of Larch Street, Nelson, admitted burglary and was given 200 hours' community punishment. He must also pay £100 compensation.

Roger Baldwin, prosecuting, told the court last August the victim left his home in Cairo Street, Burnley, and returned after midnight to find it had been raided.

Property was strewn over the living room floor and blood was left where the kitchen window had been broken. A television, hi fi and lamp, worth £200 had been taken.

A scenes of crimes officer attended, the blood was analysed and the defendant was arrested and interviewed. He claimed the window had already been broken and he had gone in and cut himself.

David Leach, defending, said at the time of the offence, Yasin had had an entrenched and extremely destructive drug addiction to GHB, used in body building and in training boxers.

His behaviour became erratic and impulsive. The burglary victim owed the defendant money and he broke in to recover items after the man was not in. He bitterly regretted his actions.

Mr Leach said Yasin had used drugs in the past and GHB was the latest in a short line of abuse.

The defendant had now gone two to three months without substance abuse and had done it without professional support but with the help of his mosque and family.

He was now clean of all drugs. Yasin knew a custodial sentence was a starting point for what he had done but urged the court consider a community punishment order.