A 46-YEAR-OLD drug addict was “exploited” by dealers to store heroin and crack cocaine at his flat, a judge heard on Wednesday.

Peter Owen had drugs worth £400 and “business” cards for someone else when police raided his home in College Road, Bangor, in August 2017, it was alleged.

Owen pleaded guilty to possessing drugs with intent to supply.

Defence counsel Elen Owen told Caernarfon crown court her client was “quite vulnerable” to more sophisticated criminals and there were threats in text messages to him.

There was exploitation by other people and he had lost the tenancy of the flat.

Judge Timothy Petts imposed a two years suspended jail term with drug rehabilitation, a thinking skills course, and an eight weeks overnight curfew.

The judge said he had shown remorse and it was accepted Owen had been exploited as a long-standing addict.

Owen had been scared of those coming to his flat.

“Importantly, since this offence came to light, you have committed no further offences and demonstrated your own efforts to address your addiction,” Judge Petts added.