South Shields man pleads guilty to drug posession after a police search of his car

Eddie Kenrick, 22, of Sinclair Meadows, near Laygate, South Shields, must fork out fines and costs totalling £575 for his double drug possession misdemeanour.

The illegal substances were uncovered after Kenrick was stopped as he drove in Mile End Road, central South Shields, on Friday, November 15.

He handed over a small amount of cannabis when asked if he had drugs onboard – and a vehicle search then uncovered class A cocaine.

At South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, he pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of drugs.

Prosecutor Emily Hunt said: “The defendant’s vehicle was stopped by officers.

“When asked if he had drugs, he pulled out a single bud of cannabis from his pocket.

“Officers searched the vehicle and found a plastic bag, containing white powder and that was seized.”

Kenrick has two previous convictions from five offences and was last in court in December for charges which included battery.

The court heard he was on bail for those offences when caught with drugs.

David Forrester, defending, insisted Kenrick’s drug offences should have been dealt with at the same earlier hearing as his other matters.

He said it was likely the drug matters would not have exacerbated the punishment received that day.

Kenrick was sentenced to a community order, which included a six-month alcohol abstinence requirement, which he has successfully completed.

Mr Forrester added: “He was in court on December 6 for the other matters. This drug offence took place on November 15.

“He made full admissions, but for some reason, he wasn’t charged or brought to court in December.”

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“Six months later, he gets a postal requisition to attend court, it’s a tidying up exercise today.

“You have to ask what else he would have got in December for these drugs matters. The sensible way to deal with this is a conditional discharge.”

Magistrates fined Kenrick £350 – reduced from £525 for his early guilty plea - and he must pay a £140 victim surcharge and £85 court costs.

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