A 22-year-old Douglas man has been sentenced to 40 hours’ community service for possessing cannabis.

Zachariah James Dean Moore was caught with 3.6 grams of the drug, valued by police at £72.

Prosecuting advocate Barry Swain said that he was aware such prosecutions often attracted ’sensational headlines’ but as Moore had similar matters on his record, no alternative disposal had been available.

The court heard that police went to Moore’s flat at Demesne Road in Douglas on July 28.

The cannabis was found in a satchel and when interviewed Moore made a full admission that it belonged to him.

A probation report said that Moore had used cannabis for a number of years but following his arrest in July had made real efforts to significantly reduce his use of the drug.

The report said that he had recently secured a plastering job and had not been in court since 2019.

A financial penalty was not considered suitable due to Moore’s current financial situation so community service was recommended.

Defence advocate Peter Taylor said that the cannabis was found at Moore’s private address and it was at the lower end of the scale of such offences.

Magistrates also ordered him to pay £50 prosecution costs by the end of September.