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A drug addict burglar who ATE a wrap of heroin during a police interview has been jailed after admitting perverting the course of justice.

Alan Timperley was being questioned by police about an ‘unrelated matter’ when the drugs were found on him.

Burnley Crown Court heard how when an officer put the heroin on the table to ask him about it Timperley ‘grabbed and consumed’ the wrap.

When officers asked him why he did it he told them ‘the officer was doing my head in’.

Timperley, 38, pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice and separate offences of burglary and theft and was jailed for four months.

Michael Brady, prosecuting, said Timperley had been detained by police on November 19 last year for an ‘unrelated matter’ when he ate the heroin wrap.

Mr Brady told the court how Timperley, who has 35 convictions for 66 previous offences, was on bail at the time for burglary and theft offences.

He was identified from CCTV after he smashed a car window on Birch Street in Accrington on August 28 and stole an iPhone.

The court heard how the victim had left the phone in the car charging while he had gone shopping and returned to find the windows broken and the phone missing.

Mr Brady said Timperley, of Blackpool Street, Church, later broke into the Tesco Extra store in Oswaldtwistle on September 1 and stole around £400 of vodka.

He was identified after leaving his blood at the scene.

David Morton, defending, said Timperley had a ‘long-standing’ drug problem but has been trying to get help.

He told the court: “It is very odd for such an exhibit to be put in front of an individual who was struggling with not having either a prescription or drugs.

“It was put on the table in front of him during the interview and under those circumstances, as he was suffering from withdrawal and desperation, he stuck it in his mouth. They knew what it was, he knew what it was. It’s clearly not acceptable but a very unusual offence.”

He said: “He has served many short prison sentences and while they remove him temporarily they probably don’t do a great deal of good.

“He is a man who has never been drug-free in his life since leaving home at the age of 15 or 16.

“At 38 something has to give. He wishes to try and tackle this.”