A Douglas teenager, who started using cannabis when he was just 11, has been ordered to perform 240 hours of community service after drugs were sent to him in the post.
David Anthony Teare, aged 19, of Belmont Terrace, pleaded guilty to three counts of being concerned in the production of cannabis to the island, three of attempting to possess cannabis with intent to supply and one of possession of cannabis.
The sentence is a direct alternative to 12 months custody and Teare was also ordered to pay £800 prosecution costs.
Prosecutor Hazel Carroon told the court how, on January 27 last year, police were called to the Post Office sorting office after a report of a suspicious package.
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PACKAGE
The package was addressed to ’L Stevens’, Flat 2, 19 Belmont Terrace, Douglas.
It was opened and found to contain a black DVD case in a sealed bag.
The case contained green vegetable matter later identified as cannabis bush weighing 79.4 grams and said to have a street value of £1,600.
The following day a similar package arrived at the sorting office containing 80.2 grams of cannabis said to be worth £1,604.
A search warrant was executed at the flat in Belmont Terrace which was where Teare was living.
Two small cubes of cannabis were found, weighing 0.8 grams and said to be worth £4.23.
In a police interview Teare handed in a prepared statement denying any knowledge of the sorting office packages but admitting the 0.8 grams was his. A mobile phone was seized which contained messages indicating the involvement in the supply of drugs.
On February 5 a third package was received at the sorting office, with the same address.
It contained 79.4 grams of cannabis with a street value of £1,588.
Teare attended police headquarters voluntarily and handed in another prepared statement denying knowledge of the package.
When shown the mobile phone texts Teare answered ’no comment’ to all questions.
Teare told probation he had started using cannabis when he was 11 and had consequently developed a heavy habit but was now drug-free after engaging with the Drug and Alcohol Team.
In court Teare’s advocate Paul Rodgers entered a basis of plea on behalf of his client.
In it Teare admitted he had agreed to accept the three packages to fund his heavy cannabis habit.
He said that all three packages had been ordered together and that the third one had not been ordered after his initial arrest, although it had arrived later.