A DRUNKEN man bought ten pounds worth of cannabis together with the Durham Chief Constable's stolen bike, a court heard.

Shaun Maher - who claimed he paid a man £60 for it - tried to pedal home but fell off Mike Barton's £650 hybrid machine in the street, knocking himself unconscious.

The 32-year-old came round to find three men standing over him who told him they had called an ambulance.

Fearing they may attack him, he rode off on the blue and white bike to hide, he said.

But Maher was later arrested by police after being found slumped against a parked car in a drunken state, said John McGlone, prosecuting.

They spotted the bike nearby and Maher told officers it was his and that he had bought bit for £60 in Glasgow.

“He was arrested on suspicion of theft," said Mr McGlone. "The bike was checked and a security number was found on it. It was found to be missing from Mr Barton’s home address.”

The hybrid bike, which had been secured to a bike rack was stolen while the Chief Constable was on holiday.

Mr McGlone said Maher, of High View, Ushaw Moor, said he got it from a man he declined to name as he bought £10's worth of cannabis in Spennymoor on Sunday, May 25.

He was later arrested with the bike after police were called to reports of a drunken man in Hill View, Durham, at around midnight.

PC Alistair Coulson said Maher seemed intoxicated.

Maher, who denied a charge of handling stolen goods, told Peterlee magistrates: "I was confused when I was arrested. I bought £10 of cannabis and he also gave me two white tablets which I took.

“He had a bike which I thought I’d seen him with before. He asked if I wanted to buy it. I didn’t think it had been stolen and paid £60 for it.”

The bench found the case proved and fined him £160 together with £300 prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge.