THE VICTIM of a Tesco car park stabbing was found behind a pharmacy counter having binged on Tramadol and methadone, a court heard.

Saleem Ayoub was stabbed in the lung and the liver in February, when he was attacked in Tesco car park in Trowbridge. He takes Tramadol and other medication to control the pain from his injuries.

But the high-strength painkillers did not seem to be enough.

The 28-year-old, now living in a Salisbury hostel, was found behind Superdrug’s pharmacy counter downing pills having broken into the store with pal Duncan Chaney.

Appearing before Swindon Magistrates’ Court on Saturday, Ayoub, of Cherry Orchard Lane, Salisbury, and Chaney, 39, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to a non-dwelling burglary.

Kate Prince, prosecuting, said the pair had been spotted on CCTV approaching the glass doors of a Salisbury Superdrug at around 1am on Friday, October 25. Chaney kicked backwards at the glass, causing the bottom panel to smash.

Both men entered the store through the smashed glass panel. Chaney headed straight for the front counter, where he filled a bag with expensive perfume bottles. He fled but was found by police a few minutes away having dumped 18 boxed of aftershave stolen from the shop.

Police officers discovered Ayoub in the pharmacy area. He had jumped over two locked gates and was suspected of having consumed nine Tramadol tablets, downed a bottle of methadone and taken opioid Oramorph. The medication had been left out to be collected by customers later that day.

Ayoub was taken to hospital as a precaution and appeared woozy as he stood in the Swindon dock – more than 24 hours after the bungled burglary.

Interviewed by police, both men gave no comment interviews.

Ms Prince said Chaney had been recalled to prison on licence. He committed the burglary just two days after he was released from jail.

“We clearly have a premises that has been targeted. It’s a pharmacy that’s been targeted specifically by Mr Ayoub because it contains medication,” she said.

The manager of the Superdrug store estimated the cost to the store of the burglary as between £1,000 and £2,000.

Both men were remanded in custody to be sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on November 29.

Ayoub is expected to give evidence next month in the trial of two youths who deny stabbing him in Tesco car park.