Defendant feels no guilt for being found with cannabis

A MAN charged with a drug offence told a court he did not know how to plead to the crime because he did not feel guilty.

Michael Lawrence Harry Poulton, 47, also told magistrates that he did not need money because his mum takes him shopping and he was not part of the "consumerist world".

Poulton, of Riverview, George Nympton, appeared in North Devon Magistrates' Court charged with possessing 27.95 grams of cannabis.

When asked how he pleaded to the crime, he said: "It's hard to say really, guilt is something that you feel and I don't feel guilty about this. However, I do admit that I committed a crime against the laws of this land."

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Susan Lloyd, for the prosecution, told the court that police officers had been on routine patrol in the Belle Meadow area of Barnstaple when they saw Poulton driving while using his mobile phone.

She said: "They pulled him over and found a strong smell of cannabis in the car.

"After conducting a search they discovered a quantity of cannabis in his car with a street value of around £270."

The court heard Poulton was cautioned for a similar offence in January last year.

Poulton, who was not represented by a solicitor at the hearing, said the cannabis was for his own personal consumption.

He was asked by magistrates to comment on his lack of income. He said: "I don't really need money. I live with my mum most of the time and I spend a lot of time doing jobs for my mum, my girlfriend and my girlfriend's friend.

"My mum takes me shopping when I need to go and she pays my insurance so I can drive the car around.

"I've got an electric guitar which I bought 20 years ago and an expensive Marshall amplifier but I don't really need to buy things – I'm not part of the consumerist world."

Poulton went on to list how much his clothing cost, with most items being either donated to him as a gift or purchased from Primark for £1.

He was given a 12 month conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £15.

On his way out of court he said: "Ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much."