A man has been ordered to do 150 hours community service after pleading guilty to producing cannabis to the island.

Andreyan Petkov was sentenced by Deemster Graeme Cook at Douglas Courthouse.

Prosecutor Hazel Caroon told the court that on June 9, staff at the Post Office sorting office intercepted what they believed to be a suspicious package.

The parcel was opened with police in attendance. It contained 7.3 grams of cannabis, with a street value of £146.

Police attended the address the parcel was intended for on Empress Drive where Petkov was arrested. He had ordered the drugs using his former roommate’s name.

Officers found three other bags of cannabis totalling 14.5g, with a value of £290.

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Petkov, aged 25, told officers he ordered cannabis from Instagram and while it was mostly for personal use, he was selling small amounts to friends for about £20-£25 per gram. He made a small amount of money from this.

When officers checked his phone, they found messages which backed up what he told officers during what Ms Caroon called a ’full and frank interview’.

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Petkov pleaded guilty to importing the drug, possession and being concerned in the supply of cannabis.

His advocate Peter Taylor said his client had submitted early guilty pleas and been fully cooperative with the police. Mr Taylor also noted the excellent references given to Petkov including one from his employer.

Deemster Cook said Petkov ’seems to be a man not afraid of work’ and that he had made a ’poor decision’ during the Covid-19 lockdown.

He told Petkov to get on with his life, saying ’clearly you have a future ahead of you’.

Petkov will serve 150 hours community service for the production and being concerned in the supply charges and must pay £200 plus £160 in costs.