A FATHER-OF-TWO was jailed for more than five years on Tuesday after he was caught with an illegal gun during a drugs raid at his family home that also found a haul of heroin.

John Clark told police after he was detained: “I ken you won’t believe it, but I just got they things in the flat.”

A judge told Clark he had admitted being concerned in the supply of a Class A drug and a “very serious” firearms charge.

Lord Boyd of Duncansby said: “I accept your involvement in this matter is at the lower end of the scale, having agreed to hold these items for another person.”

The judge imposed a total sentence of five years and two months on Clark for the offences.

Advocate depute Duncan McPhie earlier told the High Court in Edinburgh that officers had received intelligence that Clark was dealing heroin from his home on Macbeth Moir Road, Musselburgh.

The prosecutor said police turned up at the house on March 24 armed with a warrant but found they did not have to force entry as the front door was open as council workers were fitting a new kitchen.

They found Clark’s partner and two young children at the address but he was at his work with a car rental firm at Edinburgh Airport.

A search of the premises found bags of heroin, a digital scales box and a revolver inside a bag and towel. More than 180 grams of the Class A drug was recovered.

Mr McPhie said police attended at Clark’s workplace and detained him. He told police: “I got told my place is bound to get done in. I’m no’ bothering about the gear. I can’t believe I went and done that.”

He later gave a “no comment” interview after speaking to a lawyer.

The court heard that the drugs recovered were worth just under £4,000. But the gun that was discovered was found to be a blank firing revolver that had been modified and had no serial number.

Mr McPhie said: “It was in poor external condition, with scratches and corrosion to the metal components.

“Despite this, it was in working order and would have been capable of discharging a modified .380 blank cartridge loaded with a projectile.”

The prosecutor added it was a prohibited weapon under firearms legislation.

Clark, 26, admitted being concerned in the supply of heroin on March 24 and possessing the illegal gun.

He committed the offences while he was on bail granted at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in September last year.

Defence solicitor advocate Robert More said that when Clark was detained he had not received any payment for holding the gun and drugs, but had been expecting to receive one.

He said Clark had “profound regret” that committing the offences would adversely impact on his partner and children.

He said Clark had described his own actions as being “a massive error of judgement”.