A MAN blew his redundancy cash on drugs and was planning to supply some of his £3,500 stash, a court heard.

Regular user Jason Wooller, 45, lost his job at Baxi Heating after 24 years and spent his payout on ecstasy, amphetamine and cannabis because it was cheaper to buy in bulk.

But he admitted that he would have gone on to supply to known associates who he knew used drugs, Burnley Crown Court heard.

Wooller, of Dall Street, Burnley, had admitted possessing ecstasy, possessing amphetamine and cannabis resin with intent to supply and producing cannabis. He was given 52 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, with six months supervision.

Judge Beverley Lunt said that she had decided not to jail him after a drugs test had confirmed he was telling the truth when he said he was now not using.

The judge described the circumstances of the case as "peculiar," and added nornally anybody who supplied drugs would go straight to custody.

She said: "This was not the way to spend your redundancy money."

Sarah Statham, prosecuting, said last May, a community support officer got a complaint from a member of the public about the smell of cannabis coming from near the defendant's home in Burnleywood.

At about 3pm, the officer visited the premises, he too could smell the drug and believed it was coming from the cellar. He knocked on the door, Wooller answered and after caution admitted he was growing six cannabis plants in the cellar. The officer found seven plants, together with a hydroponic system and industrial lighting.

Miss Statham said police found 127 grammes of amphetamine, three "nine bars" of cannabis and a further three quarters of a bar and 184 ecstasy tablets. Three further small bags, two of amphetamine and one of cannabis resin were also found.

The prosecutor said the street value of the amphetamine was £1,293 and the cannabis resin was worth between £1,590 and £2,544.

The defendant was not entirely frank with police. Wooller, who had not been in trouble since 1995, will face a proceeds of crime hearing on June 15.