A LANDLORD who found 100 ecstasy tablets belonging to his drug dealer tenant has been given a conditional discharge by a judge at Worcester Crown Court.

Craig Matthews, 31, found the class A drugs on a table in his kitchen and put them under Wayne Moreton's pillow in his bedroom.

He left a note with them saying: "These, I think, are yours," said prosecutor Michael Aspinall.

Moreton, 37, who was living with Matthews at The Slad, Wilden, near Stourport, committed suicide by hanging in August while in jail awaiting trial on drug peddling charges.

Matthews, now of Admiral Walk, Kidderminster, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs.

Judge Andrew Geddes said his culpability was "slight" and the sentence should reflect that.

He added that Moreton was "a prolific drug dealer and addict".

The judge gave Matthews, who had no previous convictions, a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay court costs of £300.

Matthews took possession of the tablets in September last year and moved them because children visited the premises.

Alastair Edie, defending, said his actions had been "admirable", although he should have flushed the tablets down the toilet.

He added: "It was his misfortune to have Moreton as a tenant. This case has been hanging over him for 12 months."

Matthews left the Parachute Regiment in 1995 and now worked as a driver.