POLICE who raided a Worcester house looking for drugs found £7,000 cash.

They arrested Bruce Baylis - who insisted the money was part of a legitimate inheritance - before he fled to Spain.

Worcester Crown Court heard he was on the run for 10 months until he was arrested in Madrid and send back under extradition proceedings.

Baylis, aged 36, who had lived in Avon Road, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to supply.

He was jailed for three-and-a-half years.

Officers went to the defendant's home on November 22, 2000 and had to restrain Baylis during the search.

In the lounge was heroin with a street value of £1,350 and evidence of trafficking, said David Mason, prosecuting.

A scanner switched to West Mercia police frequencies was also seized, along with the £7,000.

Baylis swallowed a wrap of heroin at the police station and was due to face trial on June 25, 2001.

But he absconded and was not returned to the UK until March this year after spending 11 months in a Spanish jail awaiting extradition which he did not oppose.

Baylis told police after the drug raid he was a heroin user and said a man called at the house to sell him supplies.

He had intended to buy the drug but not to sell it for a profit.

He had previous convictions for conspiracy to supply cannabis, possession of drugs with intent to supply and grievous bodily harm.

Withdrawn

Defence counsel James Wood said he had received an inheritance of £12,931 and had withdrawn £10,000 from a bank account, spending £3,000 on heroin in 12 days. The money seized by police was the remainder.

Baylis had also received £2,500 from the sale of two boats.

He had been temporarily put up by friends in Avon Road but "sadly got caught up" in a drug cycle that had plagued his early life, said Mr Wood.

While in Spain he became a reformed character, teaching English, writing poetry and settling down with a woman he planned to wed.

Baylis was going back to Spain after his release to build a better life for himself.

Judge Michael Mott said he had made every effort to avoid being brought to justice.

But he directed that five months of the jail term served in Spain should count towards his drug sentence.