A MAN burgled the home of a family friend as he tried to fund a "raging" crack cocaine habit.

Blackburn magistrates heard the householder was away and it was left to a house-sitter to discover the chaotic scene after the house had been ransacked.

Zohaib Khan, 20, of Southfield Street, Nelson, was convicted in his absence of burglary with intent to steal at a house in Larch Street, Nelson. He was sentenced to 24 weeks in prison suspended for two years and ordered to pay £650 costs and £150 victim surcharge.

Catherine Allan, prosecuting, said Mohammed Latif was looking after the house for his uncle who was away on holiday. When he entered the property he found a window had been smashed and there was glass all over the floor.

"Cupboards and drawers throughout the house had been emptied and the contents strewn across the floor," said Miss Allan. "Blood left at the scene provided a match to the defendant but he pleaded not guilty on the basis he had been in the house many times before."

Keith Rennison, defending, said the offence was committed in September 2018 at a time when his client was a heavy user of crack cocaine. He was currently subject to two community orders which related to offences committed around the same time.

"His family became aware of his problems and intervened," said Mr Rennison.

"He was sent away to Pakistan for over a month. He came back drug free and has remained that way ever since."

Mr Rennison said his client worked five days a week in a factory and the other two days helped out at his uncle's taxi firm in Rochdale.

"He accepts his compliance with the probation service has been poor," said Mr Rennison.

"I would ask you to impose a suspended sentence. He knows that if he breaches that order and returns to old ways he will be going to prisn."