Smoking cannabis helped Carmarthen man Robert Connelly reduce his criminality
A CARMARTHEN man with a long court record has reduced his criminality by smoking cannabis, according to his solicitor.
A CARMARTHEN man with a long court record has reduced his criminality by smoking cannabis, according to his solicitor.
Robert Connelly, 30, of Belvedere Avenue, pleaded guilty to possession of 3.05 grams of cannabis resin when he appeared before Llanelli magistrates on Thursday.
His solicitor Aled Owen said Connelly took the drug to help cope with a nervous disorder and anxiety, which has helped him keep his nose clean.
"He has stayed out of trouble for quite a long period," he said.
"The last occasion was 12 months ago and he has not been in trouble since."
Referring to Connelly's previous convictions, he told magistrates: "You can see his offending was at a high level at one time, but you can see there is a lowering of the offending.
"When he was younger there was thefts, twocs, a robbery, affrays.
"But when you look through it you can see the level and frequency getting far lower.
"All we have now are cannabis offences at the very lowest scale.
"Although cannabis is illegal it is something that is helping him to lower his criminality."
Prosecutor Gerald Neave told the court that at around 10.50am on April 7, police were on patrol in Russ- ell Terrace, near the alleyway leading to Belvedere Avenue.
When officers spoke to Connelly they became suspicious of his behaviour so they performed a search.
"During the search the defendant handed him a brown lump and said 'Here you go mate. There's a lump here, it's all I've got'," said Mr Neave.
Connelly was fined £90 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk 6/5/2013
S
Soft Secrets
