A Monkton man caught in possession of 173.3 grams of cannabis has told a court that he has given up the drug for good after the police raid on his premises proved too ‘traumatic’ for his family.
Thirty-five-year-old Christopher Andrew Tindale, of Long Mains, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Tuesday, to plead guilty to the charge.
Prosecutor Vaughan Pritchard -Jones told magistrates that police executed a search warrant on the defendant’s premises on October 10 of last year and found 60 individual wraps of cannabis.
“Due to the amount, enquiries were carried out as to whether the defendant was supplying and his phone was seized, but following the investigation there was no evidence of supplying.
“Mr. Tindale explained that he buys an ounce of cannabis and splits it, so he can control his own consumption,” said Mr. Pritchard-Jones.
Defence solicitor Mike Kelleher told the court that Mr. Tindale’s bank records were looked at and his phone too, and that police had found no evidence of supplying.
“The police raid proved very traumatic for the defendant and his family as his partner had just had a baby, and she suffered a seizure during the search, and an ambulance was called.
“It was an immediate wake-up call for him and he has cut down altogether and no longer takes cannabis. Mr. Tindale stays at home to look after the baby now and his partner is pregnant again. It has been a life changing matter for him.
Magistrates fined Mr. Tindale £80 for the offence and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £85 and a £30 victim surcharge.
“You have responsibilities and we applaud you for quitting cannabis, and hope you don’t go back to it,” chief magistrate David Simpson told the defendant.
“You’re a ‘house husband’ now as well and what you’re family don’t want is a father who is in court as a druggy, when he should be putting food on the table and going out on family trips to Folly Farm. We hope for your children’s sake that you don’t go back to it,” he added.