Man prosecuted at cost of £5,000 to taxpayer over possession of cannabis worth less than £2

A man was charged and prosecuted at a cost of £5,000 to the taxpayer - over the possession of cannabis worth less than £2.

Martin Kewley was ordered to appear in court after police found a minuscule amount of the drug in a drawer by his bedside.

Rather than caution the builder, of Onchan, Isle of Man, over the cannabis - worth £1.59 - officers and prosecutors decided to take the case to Douglas Magistrates' Court.

The builder was given six months' probation after pleading guilty to possession.

His advocate, Jim Travers, told the court his client was in difficult circumstances.

The Isle of Man's legal authorities, who run their own jurisdiction, defended the call, The Sun reports.

But drugs charity Release slammed the decision as 'ludicrous', criticising the amount spent to bring Kewley to justice.

Original report here

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