A YOUNG man who was caught with less than half a gram of cocaine has been heavily fined.
Stephen Reed, of Cherwell Close, pleaded guilty to possessing a controlled Class A drug, after staff in a city takeaway store found it on him about 4.30am on April 26.
On Friday, June 13, Worcester Magistrates Court heard how the 23-year-old was ‘acting strangely’ in the store and entered the toilets before passing a small plastic bag to a friend, which he threw onto the floor.
The bag contained 0.42 grams of cocaine, worth about £15 to £25. Police were called and he was arrested.
Sam Lamsdale, defending solicitor, said: “He says this was the very first time he had taken cocaine as some friends had talked about it and agreed they would club together.
“He says he would not have done it but he was quite drunk that night and made the very foolish decision to try it there.”
Reed was fined £250 and ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a £25 victim surcharge.
The court also ordered forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.
