A 48-year-old Ramsey man has been fined £400 for possessing heroin.

Michael David Nelson, of Parliament Street, admitted having 0.1 grams of the drug valued at £25.

The court heard how police executed a search warrant at Nelson’s home on November 24.

He told police there was heroin on a table in the property.

After being arrested and interviewed, Nelson told police he had intended smoking the drug.

Defence advocate David Clegg said: ’This is a serious matter but there was certainly not enough to share, it was for personal use.’

Mr Clegg said that his client had been struggling during lockdown and ended up taking a small amount of heroin.

’It was casual use of a substance which I would submit is not suitable for casual use,’ said the advocate.

’He has no intention of using it again.’

A probation report said that Nelson had distanced himself from drug user peers and that he did not wish to do community service as he thought that may bring him into contact with them again.

Magistrates also ordered him to pay £50 prosecution costs which he will pay, along with the fine, at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.