A JOBLESS man who took cannabis to occupy his days supplied the drug to his friends, a court heard.
Luke Roberts, of North Carr in Dalton, appeared before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.
He admitted possession of the class B drug with intent to supply.
Magistrates were told that the incident happened at 5.30pm on October 10.
Abdul Shakoor, prosecuting, said: “Police on mobile patrol were covering burglary hotspots in the Dalton area.
“They saw the defendant, thought he was furtive and a search was carried out.”
The Huddersfield bench was told that officers found that the 22-year-old had a small plastic tub on him.
This tub contained £50 in cash, bags of vegetable matter and a grinder.
Police also discovered a self-seal bags with cannabis and a BlackBerry mobile in Roberts’ jacket pocket.
The cannabis was valued at £30 and he was arrested.
Mr Shakoor said: “The defendant’s mobile was analysed and there was evidence of messages relating to the dealing of drugs.”
But magistrates heard that Roberts was a “social” dealer, supplying cannabis only to his friends.
Roberts said in interview that the cash found on him was from his Job Seeker’s Allowance and he was going to use it to pay his mum.
He claimed that he was going to give one of the bags to his friend because he owed him money.
Mr Shakoor said: “He said he was going to give the drugs in lieu of payment.
“But he accepted that this made him a courier of controlled drugs and his involvement in a chain of supply of cannabis.”
Magistrates were told that Roberts had no previous convictions.
Marnat Ali, mitigating, said that his client regularly smoked the drug with friends.
She said: “It’s easy to see how possession can transfer itself to supply.
“It’s clear this type of behaviour is not to be encouraged and his use of cannabis is a problem which has brought him to court.
“This is a young man who had long term employment for four years but has lost that employment.
“He is on Job Seeker’s Allowance and at this moment it is very difficult for him to occupy his mind.”
Magistrates fined Roberts £70 and ordered him to pay £85 costs and £20 victim surcharge.
They also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the cannabis.
