A RENTON man with a history of violence has now landed back in jail for a cocaine addiction that led police to find stashes of the drug throughout his home.

John Crawford, 32, led officers on a trail of white powder – from his car which he denied owning to containers and wraps and scales in his Kane Street property.

Police were in an unmarked vehicle when, around 1.50pm on February 13, they saw a Mazda 6 in Hawthornhill Road, Dumbarton. They turned around and followed it, requesting assistance from a marked vehicle.

When the car stopped, officers got out and approached either side, finding Crawford in the passenger side and another man driving.

There was a wrap with white powder on the dashboard. The driver said he knew nothing about it.

When a search was made of the car, they found another bag of white powder under the carpet in the boot. Though the Mazda was insured under Crawford’s name, he claimed he knew nothing about it.

Officers then went to Crawford’s home where a woman and children were inside.

There was a wrap with white powder beside the microwave, a set of black scales with traces of powder within a tub in the kitchen, silver digital scales, a green plastic grater with traces of powder, a box of clear rubber gloves, £200 next to the microwave and £1,265 in a cupboard.

All the white powder tested positive as cocaine and there was a total of 71.53g, worth about £2,860 as potential street deals.

Defence solicitor Roddy Boag said there was no similar crime in Crawford’s background but he had been recalled to prison earlier this year.

In 2009, Crawford admitted slashing his next-door neighbour and another man in their faces, leaving them permanently disfigured after a drunken night out at the Central Bar in Renton.

When police arrived at the scene, they found a bloodstained lockback knife in his kitchen, but Crawford denied all knowledge. One of his victims needed four stitches and the second man needed 18 stitches.

He was jailed for four years plus a four-year extended sentence.

Mr Boag said last week Crawford had started taking cocaine and it “required to be funded”.

He said: “He has a significant problem and would buy bigger quantities and distribute it to friends and acquaintances. I’m not suggesting this was a carry-out situation. It’s at the lower end of the supply scale.”

Sheriff William Gallacher sentenced Crawford to return to jail for four months of the unexpired portion of his sentence and then start a 12-month prison term.