A 50-year-old man started selling bootleg cigarettes and tobacco in an bid to raise enough money to carry out essential adaptations to his home, a Court was told.

Bradford Crown Court heard yesterday how George Kelly decided that the illegal trade was the only way to get the cash he needed to pay for the improvements, including the installation of a lift after his wife's health deteriorated.

Over 18 months, Kelly and a neighbour, Arthur Jordan, 36, made more than 50 trips between them to the Continent to bring back illegal cigarettes, hand-rolling tobacco, pipe tobacco and cigars.

Prosecutor William Tyler said Kelly had been seen at least twice by Customs officers selling items at a car boot sale before both men were arrested in August last year.

"That was very shortly after their return from a trip to Belgium,'' said Mr Tyler.

Officers seized 21,000 cigarettes, half a kilo of pipe tobacco and 57 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco. Officers also searched the men's homes in Collingham Avenue, Buttershaw, Bradford, and in total discovered a further 15,000 cigarettes and 18 kilos of hand-rolling tobacco.

During questioning, Kelly admitted selling the goods at car boot sales and from his home and Jordan accepted that the two men had made trips to Belgium and France to purchase stock.

Mr Tyler said it had been agreed that Kelly had been involved in the evasion of £25,000 worth of duty while Jordan accepted evasion of duty put at about £50,000.

Both men pleaded guilty to three offences related to the fraudulent evasion of duty.

Kelly, who had no previous convictions, was jailed for six months and Jordan, who had a previous matter involving DSS fraud, received an 11-month sentence of imprisonment.

Kelly's barrister Neil Clark told the court: "He found himself in a position where his wife's condition, referred to in the reports, was deteriorating. The deterioration was to such an extent that it required modification to his home and the installation of a lift.''

Jordan's barrister Simon Batiste explained that he had become involved because he needed money to fund an alcohol addiction.

He said since his arrest Jordan had cut down his drinking and was very fearful of going to custody.