A 21-year-old apprentice joiner who ordered cannabis online has been sentenced to 100 hours’ community service.

Alexander Harold Connor, of Harbour Road, Onchan, admitted production (importation) of the drug to the island after ordering it on Instagram as well as possession.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also ordered him to pay £50 prosecution costs.

We previously reported that police were called to the Post Office sorting office on October 24 last year after a report of a suspicious package.

When opened it was found to contain green vegetable matter, identified as cannabis weighing 3.6 grams and valued by police at £72.

Police went to Connor’s home and a search there found a further small quantity of the drug.

He attended a voluntary interview at police headquarters and admitted ordering the cannabis online via Instagram and said he paid £30.

He said that he had not realised how serious an offence it was.

Connor said that the small amount found at his home was the remains of around 3.5 grams he had previously bought.

A probation report said that Connor said he had been using cannabis for two years and had been addicted but that he had not realised the seriousness of importing it to the island.

The report said that Connor intended to see Motiv8 and was not mixing with a more positive group of friends.

The court heard that he had no previous convictions.

Defence advocate Sara-Jayne Dodge reiterated that her client had not realised the seriousness of the offence and that he admitted he had made a poor choice.

Ms Dodge asked for credit to be given for Connor’s guilty plea and his co-operation with police.

High Bailiff Mrs Hughes told Connor that she had taken into account that it was a relatively small quantity and sentenced him to 100 hours for each offence, to run concurrently.

He was given until August 13 to pay the £50 costs.

We have reported scores of cases of people being charged with offences related to the importation of drugs via the Post Office since the pandemic began.