A CHESTER-le-Street man with a 'tragic' family history escaped jail this week after being caught with cannabis worth £100,000 in his house.

Durham Crown Court heard how Harry Cochrane, 52, had 23 kilos of the class-B controlled drug in a box in his hallway when police raided his home in March this year.

Despite admitting acting as a courier for the cannabis resin, the Recorder John Norris gave him a 12-month suspended prison sentence after listening to a catalogue of family misfortune.

Following his son's death from cystic fibrosis several years ago, his wife became depressed and alcoholic, he gave up his career as a baker to care for her and the resulting stress contributed to a critical heart condition, which may need a second bypass operation. His wife pleaded with him not to stash the drugs, but he needed the £200 cash he was to be paid, the court heard.

Mark Davies, prosecuting, said police obtained a search warrant and raided his house on March 1. They found a cardboard box in the hallway containing a large number of cannabis resin blocks, and nearly £1,500 in cash hidden around the house.

In police interviews he initially told officers he found the box in his back garden and was keeping it to hand in to the police, but when he was told he had been under surveillance he owned up.

Mr Davies added: "He said a man he knew told him to meet a stranger at Durham railway station who would hand over a box.

"He took the box home and was to hold it there until someone came to collect it. He was not willing to name others involved for fear of repercussions."

Cochrane, of Lingholme, pleaded guilty to being concerned with the supply of a class-B drug. Chris Morrison, defending said: "The defendant did it purely and simply to earn some money."

Sentencing Cochrane, Mr Norris told him: "Go home to your wife and both get well."

An order was made for the destruction of the drugs.