An eagle-eyed neighbour saw a suspect drop £225 in fake notes while fleeing from police in Wolverhampton, a judge heard.

Ranjit Kalsi left nine £20 notes, two £10 and five £5 notes flying in his wake and hid a list of phone numbers under a plant pot, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told yesterday.

Prosecutor Mr David Lees said he was seen putting the numbers under a plant pot in a back garden as he ran away.

Kalsi, aged 26, bolted after police arrived at his Bilston home to execute an arrest warrant in relation to an unconnected matter in May, the court heard.

Mr Lees said: “A neighbour saw him discarding notes as he went and hiding a piece of paper.

“She collected the items and gave them to the police. Checks revealed that the bank notes were good forgeries.”

He added: “They were not amateurish copies and had all the main elements of legitimate notes.”

Kalsi from Walling Croft, Sedgemore Park, said he had been given the counterfeit cash when selling a Play Station on eBay.

Mr Stephen Blower, defending, said the notes were dropped accidentally and the list of phone numbers was concealed because his client did not want police ringing his friends.

Kalsi, who has a string of previous convictions, has previously been jailed for burglary and theft.

He admitted having counterfeit bank notes and was jailed by Judge Martin Walsh for ten months.

Judge Walsh told him: “This sort of behaviour undermines the integrity of the currency system and is a very serious offence.”