AN amateur football star has been spared jail after he admitted hiding drugs for a friend.
Kitson Pusey, 25, of Town Avenue, Bradley Mills, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to supply at Bradford Crown Court yesterday.
Police raided Pusey’s home on a separate matter in January last year and discovered a stash of 224g – about half-a-pound – of skunk cannabis in the Bay Athletic striker’s shed.
The drugs, worth just over £2,000 were found along with cannabis growing paraphernalia including hydrophonics equipment such as lights, cabling and digital scales.
All the drugs and equipment were seized by the court.
Pusey, who is also known as Kitson Gayle, was arrested in July last year but said he was looking after the stash for a mate for a couple of days.
He said he had received no cash for helping out his friend and was not involved in drug dealing.
Judge Mr Recorder Sandeep Kainth told Pusey he had admitted the offence the day after cannabis was re-classified from a Class C to a Class B drug but said it would not make a difference to his sentence.
And he said he had a low risk of re-offending and so would not be jailed.
He said: “There’s nothing to suggest you were dealing drugs but you knew full well what you were doing was illegal.
“You took a calculated gamble and that didn’t work in your favour.
“It’s unfortunate that someone like you working for the community has been found doing this.”
Mr Kainth sentenced Pusey to a one year community order with 120 hours of unpaid work.
