A COLLECTOR was found with a stash of weapons and drugs when police raided his home. 

Louie Dee had Tasers, a knuckleduster, imitation guns and with an array of knives, Swindon Crown Court heard.

But the 27-year-old's lawyers claimed he was a weapons collector and there was no law against having the items stored in a cabinet at home.

Dee also had 11 grammes of cocaine stored in the garage and a fridge at his town centre terrace along with a number of other drugs.

Dee, whose mobile phone could not be analysed because he didn't give police the code to unlock it, insists he was only looking after the drugs for someone.

And he also said he had the majority of the weapons stored in cabinets because he is a collector, the court was told.

Dee, now of Jole Close, Stratton St Margaret, pleaded guilty to possessing class A drugs with intent to supply and having two prohibited weapons in the form of Tasers.

When he appeared before magistrates last year he admitted having a number of other drugs and items.

The court was told that as most of the weapons, like the knuckleduster, were in his home he had not been charged with any offences in relation to them,

Police went to the three bed mid-terrace on Gooch Street in January 2017 where they uncovered the array of items.

Peter Pride, defending, said the cocaine was found in the fridge and the garage, where the stun guns were also uncovered.

He said: "Mr Dee's instructions are he was holding the items as a custodian and under a degree of intimidation and pressure.

"It is a basis the Crown would be content with: he is 27 and of good character. Guilty pleas to other charges were entered at the lower court."

He said there were about eight counts of simple possession of a variety of class B and C drugs.

Judge Robert Pawson asked why his client's phone had not been analysed and he replied: "The PIN number wasn't given to the police."

Phones are routinely searched by detectives as they may contain texts or other messages relating to the drugs trade.

Asked about the weapons Mr Pride said: "Mr Dee is a collector. Though they are reprehensible if you don't take them out on the street they are not illegal. They were found in cabinets. They are not illegal items to have in one's home."

Adjourning the case and releasing him on conditional bail to live at his parents' house, the judge said: "You are going to be sentenced on February 22.

"That is to accommodate the probation service providing a full report on you and also your counsel. It is better, if possible, if there is continuity of counsel.

"You have been on bail, you are to live and sleep each night at Jole Close, Stratton St Margaret. If you breach those bail conditions then you commit another offence.

"The fact I am ordering a pre-sentence report should not be taken as any indication of what the sentence will be. Even custodians of class A drugs, especially when firearms are involved, regularly receive custodial sentences."