Liverpool barmaid
Tina Knight who was caught with a large quantity of drugs. Merseyside police

A mother was caught hiding drugs worth £1.6m in her home after a homemade "grenade" rolled off her wardrobe and exploded as she prepared for a night out.

Tina Knight was left stunned when explosives blew up in her home in Toxteth, Liverpool, on 28 March this year, triggering a police investigation.

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The 44-year-old was found with a huge haul of drugs that included 158kg of amphetamines worth £1.5m and just under 1kg of cocaine worth around £100,000 on the street.

The Liverpool Echo reported that Knight, a barmaid and cleaner, said she was minding the drugs for someone else, who was not named during the proceedings.

Knight claimed that she had no idea the explosives were there, and she was given £20 to £50 occasionally as well as free cocaine in return for storing the drugs.

The mother-of-two was jailed for three years at Liverpool Crown Court after admitting possession with intent to supply cocaine and amphetamines, with prosecutors agreeing to drop charges relating to the explosion after DNA tests.

Prosecuting Zia Chaudhry said 79 packets of amphetamines, each weighing 2kg, cocaine, and a substance believed to be cutting agent were discovered in the raid.

He said according to the Mirror: "During the course of that subsequent search quantities of drugs were recovered primarily from a cupboard under the stairs."

The court had heard how a man, who was not named in court, used a key to access Knight's address and knew she would be away on holiday before the incident.

Defending Knight, Daniel Travers, told the court how Knight began using cocaine after the death of her partner.

"The fact of the explosion of course came as a complete shock to her, it really awakened her to the danger she was putting herself and her 14-year-old son in, and the fact she meant to little to them that they would leave that dangerous article in her bedroom, next to her son's bedroom."

According to the Echo Judge Robert Warnock told Knight during sentencing: "Those who sup with the devil must use a very long spoon. As far as you are concerned you have assisted those who deal in this filthy trade."