A “POWERFULLY built” builder with £27,000 of drugs told York Crown Court he smuggled knuckledusters into the UK “for pest control” reasons.

James McLean’s illegal weapons led to his downfall when Border Force officers intercepted the mail package because it could reach him, York Crown Court heard.

Alex Menary, prosecuting, said police followed up the seizure by going to McLean’s home, where they found £26,500 of Ecstasy tablets and cannabis including skunk cannabis worth between £680 and £800.

McLean’s barrister Jeremy Barton said he had been looking after the Ecstasy tablets for a friend who “had been under so much pressure, they took their own life.”

Speaking about the smuggling of the knuckledusters, Mr Barton said of McLean: “The defendant is involved in pest control and has a collection of perfectly legal and legitimate air rifles.”

“What particular pest is he going to hit with a knuckleduster?” asked the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris.

The defence barrister explained that pest control had led to McLean being interested in collecting weapons and he had wanted to add knuckledusters to his collection.

The judge rejected the explanation as “ludicrous”.

“You are a huge, powerfully built man,” he told McLean. “If you are going to ask someone to store drugs, a big powerful man with knuckledusters is perhaps someone who would be best suited.”

McLean, 41, of Stonebeck Avenue, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to possession of Ecstasy with intent to supply on the basis he was acting as a custodian, possession with intent to supply cannabis to others, and importation of a prohibited weapon.

Mr Barton said McLean suffered from claustrophobia and other mental health problems that would make prison very difficult for him and he had a building business that would suffer if he went to jail.

“When people are caught with Class A drugs, valued at £26,500 on the streets, there has to be an element of deterrence so that other people when asked by a mate ‘just store these for me’ will know what the consequences are,” the judge told McLean and jailed him for 18 months.

Mr Menary said co-defendant Chelsea Wilson threw drugs and a mobile phone out of the window when police were at McLean’s house on November 24, 2019.

They arrested her and searched the house. On the phone were messages indicating it had been used for drug dealing.

Wilson, 29, of Swinton Court, Harrogate, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cannabis on the basis she had passed on requests for cannabis from “family and friends” to McLean.

She was given an 18-month community order with 15 rehabilitative activity days.

Her barrister Laura Addy said she had turned her life around after a difficult childhood that had led to her offending as a juvenile.