A man who stored a sawn-off shotgun in his former girlfriend’s attic has been jailed for five years.

The gun was discovered when the woman complained to police after drug dealer Razaul Hussain, 21, went to her house and smashed a window – hours after being bailed for drugs offences.

Prosecutor Ben Campbell told Bradford Crown Court that Hussain, who had been drinking, tried to get access to her house shortly before midnight, but she refused to let him in.

She went to a neighbour’s house, but the defendant saw her in the living room. He banged on the window with his fist, breaking it. He was arrested.

Mr Campbell said the woman told a neighbour Hussain had put a black bag in her attic. She had allowed him to store it because she was fearful of him, but she suspected it contained drugs.

She reported it to police, who found a sawn off shotgun with eight 12-bore cartridges for it. Mr Campbell said: “The cartridges were found to be live and the gun in working order.”

He said the barrel of the gun had been sawn off to 45cms and the butt had also been reduced in length.

A fingerprint belonging to Hussain’s 20-year-old brother, Mohammed, was found on one of the cartridges.

The court heard that the brothers, both of Water Lily Road, Heaton, Bradford, had each admitted selling cannabis from cars in Bradford – on separate occasions ten months apart.

Razaul Hussain pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm without a certificate, criminal damage, supplying cannabis and possessing it with intent to supply. His brother pleaded guilty to possessing ammunition and possessing cannabis with intent to supply.

Jailing them, The Recorder of Bradford, Judge Roger Thomas QC, told Razaul Hussain his involvement on the firearms charge was much the greater, and came to light because of his unpleasant conduct towards his girlfriend. Judge Thomas said: “Unhappily, the association between weapons of this sort and the world of drugs supply is all too true and prevalent. I take the most serious of views of the possession of a weapon like this.”

Simon Myers, for Razaul Hussain, said he had stored the firearm but not used it. Kate Batty, for Mohammed Hussain, said there was never any evidence of him possessing the firearm.

Mohammed Hussain was sent to youth custody for a total of 27 months.