South Shields man without crime to his name in 11 years caught with cocaine
A South Tyneside man without a crime to his name in 11 years blotted his copybook when caught with cocaine in a car by police.
Andrew Kay, 33, had not received a criminal conviction since 2014 but admitted the prohibited drugs were his when officers searched the vehicle.
Kay, of Craster Avenue, central South Shields, was a passenger in a motor pulled over in the town’s Beach Road on Wednesday, February 12.
Appearing at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, he pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of controlled Class A drug cocaine.
Prosecutor John Garside said: “Police have stop-checked a vehicle and the defendant was found inside.
“Also inside was a small bag of cocaine. I would make a forfeiture and destruction application for the drugs.”
Syed Ahmed, defending, told District Judge Zoe Passfield: “There’s little that I can add to that other than that his last conviction goes back to 2014.
“He gets full credit for his early guilty plea, and he made admissions at the roadside and at the police station.
“I think you can give him credit for that.”
Judge Passfield fined Kay £120 and ordered him to pay £85 court costs and a £48 victim surcharge.
She told him: “I give you full credit for your guilty plea. You’ve been out of trouble for a while.
“I also order the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs that were seized.”