A CHORLEY man, who delivered a bag containing more than 9,000 ecstasy tablets to the home of a former boxing champion's girlfriend, has been jailed for four-and-a-half years.

Philip Heneghan, aged 29, of Blackthorn Court, Clayton-le-Woods, had pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply ecstasy worth more than £100,000.

Alongside him in the dock at Liverpool Crown Court was Stephen Walker, aged 38, of Gatley, Stockport, who had been convicted of the same charge after a trial in September. He was jailed for six years. The boxer, Ensley Bingham, aged 37, of Withington, Manchester, who denied the charge, was cleared by the jury and discharged from the dock.

Sentence was adjourned on Heneghan and Walker to enabled pre-sentence reports to be prepared.

Mr Michael Murray, prosecuting, described the afternoon of May 14 last year when under-cover police officers watched Walker and Heneghan. They saw Walker inconspicuously pass a bag to Heneghan, who was secretly followed by police to a house in Ribston Street, Hulme, where Mr Bingham was waiting.

Heneghan took the bag inside. Later they both came out and drove off in separate cars. After a pursuit, Heneghan crashed into a bollard and was arrested.

When officers searched the house they found the bag, containing 9,577 ecstasy tablets under two folded curtains in a laundry basket. Walker was arrested the next day at his home in Gatley, said Mr Murray.

Upon interview, Heneghan said he arranged to meet Walker and was given the bag which he knew contained drugs. He took them to the house in Ribston Street for storage and Walker was to pay him £1,000.

Mr David Sumner, defending, said Heneghan had no previous convictions and had pleaded guilty.

Jailing Heneghan, who also pleased guilty to possessing counterfeit £1 coins, Judge Nigel Gilmour QC, said: "You know Class A drugs cause misery and you also knew from media reports that ecstasy can, and has on occasion, killed young people. It is a tragedy for you and your wife that you find yourself in the dock."