Cannabis worth more than £5,000 on the street was found under a dealer’s bed.
Police officers also found a ‘zombie’ knife in Thomas Smith’s bedroom when they searched his mum’s home in Wantage on September 26.
In the drawer beneath the 20-year-old’s bed was a large quantity of cannabis. Prosecuting, Bethan Chichester told Oxford Crown Court on Friday (July 28) that the drugs would have been worth around £3,000 on the wholesale market and £5,100 on the street.
On a mobile phone were ‘numerous messages’ said to relate to the supply of cannabis.
READ MORE: Cannabis worth £4.2m seized as police crack down on organised gangs
Smith, of Charlton Road, Wantage, pleaded guilty at an early hearing to possession with intent to supply cannabis, possession of cannabis and possession of an offensive weapon in a private place.
Mitigating, George Joseph said his client had ‘behavioural and neurological difficulties’ and started taking cannabis as a way to ‘turn the volume down’.
He got into debt to his dealers and was given the option of paying off what he owed by selling the drug.
Mr Joseph said his client used the knife when he went hunting rabbits. He did not know that, since the law changed recently, it was illegal to even have the ‘zombie knife’ at home.
Recorder Alexander McGregor imposed an 18-month community order. Smith must wear a GPS tag for three months, complete up to 24 rehabilitation activity requirement days and comply with a drugs rehabilitation requirement for nine months.
He was also ordered to pay £50 in costs.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article