A Ramsey man has been sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge for possessing cannabis and diazepam.

Dewayne Alan Giles, of Close Caarjys, admitted having 8.8 grams of cannabis and 112 diazepam tablets.

A third charge, of cultivating cannabis, was withdrawn.

Prosecuting advocate Hazel Carroon told the court that police were called to an accident on the A18 Mountain Road in the area of Kate’s Cottage on January 16.

Giles, who is 33, and another man were said to be acting suspiciously and seemed to be looking for something in the vehicle which was on its roof.

When questioned Giles told police he had some ’weed’ in his backpack.

A search found the cannabis, valued at £264, and the class ’C’ drug diazepam, valued at between £56 and £112.

When interviewed he said that the drugs were for personal use and that he bought in bulk because he had found it hard to obtain during lockdown.

The court heard that Giles was sentenced to 30 days in custody in January after being convicted of a Covid-19 regulations breach, which was part of the same incident.

Defence advocate Louise Cooil said that, if all offences had been dealt with at the same time, the court may have imposed no separate penalty for the drug offences.

Ms Cooil said that the value stated was perhaps misleading as it was not what everyone was paying and pointed out Giles had bought in bulk.

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