Ripley man ordered to pay £100 after he was caught with cannabis

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Tuesday, January 19, how Muhammed Ismail, 33, of Alfred Street, Ripley, was overheard by officers arguing in the street about drugs and he was found with £5 worth of cannabis.

Prosecuting solicitor Becky Allsop said: “He was seen on Christmas Eve in the street and officers heard an argument between him and another person in relations to drugs.

“Ismail was stopped and he had possession of £5 worth of cannabis.”

The defendant told police he had bought a bag of cannabis valued at £10 three days before and he had smoked some at home.

He also stated to police after his arrest that he wished they would give him his drugs back because he had no intention of passing it on or supplying.

Ismail, who has two previous warnings for having cannabis, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis after the incident on December 24, last year.

Defence solicitor David Gittins said: “It was a case of possession of cannabis purely for personal use.”

Magistrates gave Ismail a 12 month conditional discharge but warned if he committed any new offences in the next year he would be re-sentenced for the cannabis possession.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.