A man caught by police buying cocaine said he turned to drugs after his relationship broke down.

The transaction in Huddersfield town centre was witnessed by plain clothed officers on February 24.

Neil Leslie appeared at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to possession of the Class A drug.

Vanessa Jones, prosecuting, said: “They were on duty in Market Place and thought that they saw suspicious activity in an alleyway there.

“Mr Leslie had met up with another male and there seemed to be taking part in some exchange.”

The officers searched the 33-year-old and he was found in possession of a bag containing three plastic bags with some white powder.

This was found to be cocaine when tested and Leslie said he’d bought it off a man he’d bumped into for £150.

Zara Begum, mitigating, told magistrates: “He had been through a breakup in his relationship at the time and as a result found himself sofa surfing and was unable to see his daughter.

“Then he started hanging out with the wrong people, going out on a weekend and taking drugs to cope with the situation.

“That’s the reason he purchased the drugs that day for his own consumption and something he feels remorseful for now.”

Magistrates fined Leslie, of Hawthorne Terrace in Crosland Moor, £280.

He will have to pay £85 costs and £30 victim surcharge and the cocaine will be forfeited and destroyed.