A 39-year-old man has been fined £400 for having £18-worth of cannabis.

Loic Joseph Bourdiac, of Bay View Road, Port St Mary, admitted possession of the drug and was also ordered to pay £50 prosecution costs.

Prosecuting advocate Rebecca Cubbon told the court that police on patrol near Glashen Terrace in Ballasalla on April 10 saw Bourdiac driving a Ford Fiesta.

They got the impression that he changed direction when he saw them so they followed him and found his car parked nearby.

restrictions

He was spoken to about meeting a person from another household as this was during Covid-19 restrictions, but police also found a cannabis grinder in the footwell of his car.

Bourdiac was found in possession of 0.9 grams of cannabis and later handed in a prepared statement admitting it was his for personal use.

Defence advocate David Reynolds said that his client was unemployed and receiving income support benefit.

The advocate handed in a letter from Bourdiac’s GP confirming that he was being treated for a neck injury.

Mr Reynolds said that his client said he had been using the cannabis for pain relief.

’He tells me, at the time, he was trying to help a vulnerable lady by going to the shops for her when he was stopped by the police,’ said the advocate.

’He voluntarily gave the cannabis to the police. He is receiving pain relief treatment from his GP.’

The court heard that Bourdiac’s last conviction was three years ago for a similar offence.

High Bailiff Jayne Hughes ordered him to pay the fine and costs at a rate of £10 per week, deducted from benefits.