A COMPUTER firm employee who hid an antique revolver and ammunition in his locker at work has been jailed for five years.

Bolton Crown Court heard how Hamel Lad had begun dabbling with taking cannabis and cocaine, got into debt with dealers and ended up agreeing to store criminals' cash and weapon.

Lindsay Thomas, prosecuting, told the court how 28-year-old Lad's home in St Helens Road, Daubhill, where he lives with his parents, was raided by police just before 5pm on June 3.

He was not there, but under his bed officers found £4,000 and a plastic replica gun.

Officers then headed to Scan Computers at Middlebrook, where Lad worked, and told him they wanted to search his locker.

Lad took the padlock off his locker and inside was an Adidas bag containing a yellow drawstring bag which had two compartments.

In one side was a silver .44 Harrington and Richardson revolver, manufactured between 1887 and 1897, and in the other compartment were 15 live bullets which had been shortened to fit the gun.

Mrs Thomas said that, as the yellow bag was removed, Lad told police: "I don't know what that is. It's not mine."

"He was so shocked he had to be held up by an officer conducting the search," added Mrs Thomas.

Lad pleaded guilty to possessing money which was the proceeds of crime, and possessing a revolver and ammunition.

Anthony O'Donnell, defending, said Lad's work locker had been installed in February and he had placed the gun there a short time afterwards.

"He couldn't give a straight answer as to why he was holding the money and the gun," said Mr O'Donnell.

Sentencing Lad, Judge Peter Davies told him: "Your record and references show you are a man of integrity.

"You come from a proud and hard-working family and you have shamed them."

He added that there was was no evidence that the revolver had been used.

"But it could be fired, no doubt, to devastating affect," he said.