A HAIRDRESSER who agreed to act as a cannabis courier found himself arrested in a drugs bust, a court heard yesterday.

Harrogate magistrates were told how Alistair Moffat travelled from a flat in High Street, Knaresborough, to Starbeck, Harrogate, to pick up cannabis resin with a street value of £250, returning to the flat to find a drug raid in progress.

The 22-year-old publican's son, who said he had never used drugs in his life, was forced to reveal the block of cannabis he was carrying.

Moffat, who lives with his parents at the Anchor Inn, in Langthorpe, near Boroughbridge, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to supply.

His solicitor, Geoffrey Rogers, said that at the time of the offence in November, Moffat had set up home with a girlfriend in Park Row, Knaresborough.

She used drugs, as did many of her friends, and although he refused to get involved, he agreed to a request made by another man to go and collect a bar of cannabis.

Mr Rogers said: ''Stupidly and naively, he did, even though he had no idea what was involved and had to be told everything. And when he got back, police were doing a drugs raid.''

Moffat had agreed to act as courier for £40 because he needed repairs doing to his car and because he was easily led.

"His employers say he will do anything and everything to help and nothing is too much trouble for him," added Mr Rogers.

He said he had now ended his relationship with the girl, whose ten-month-old child he had helped look after, though the baby was not his.

Moffat was ordered to do 80 hours of unpaid community work and pay £70 costs. A confiscation order was made for the cannabis.