Stroud pub landlady shops her cannabis-smoking son to police  

A LANDLADY shopped her cannabis-smoking son to the police when she detected a whiff of it in her pub, a court heard.

Jacqui Brading of the Rose Inn, Paganhill called in officers, because her son, Daniel Banks, 18, has been smoking the illegal drug since the age of 12.

He told officers he ‘did not care' about his mum's pub licence, Stroud Magistrates' Court was told.

"Officers attended The Rose Inn, Paganhill because there was a report from the defendant's mother that he was smoking on the premises," said prosecutor Theresa Perry, on Monday, March 24.

"There was a strong smell of cannabis."

Two wraps of the drug were found and in a police interview he would not say where he had bought it, said Miss Perry.

"He said it was for himself and he liked to smoke it, and it was an addiction," she said.

"He told police he smoked from the age of 12 and he did not care about his mother's licence at the pub."

She said the drugs seized were valued at £50.

Lucy Batten, defending, said her client attended a police interview voluntarily, and gave a full account to police.

"The amount is constant with being for his own use," she said.

"It's not a miniscule amount but it's relatively small.

"The offence was committed one month after his last appearance in youth court and he has been working with a drugs worker.

"He is now nearly down to half of what he was using. He has been smoking it since he was 12 and it had become something of a habit for him. He is only smoking now in stressful situations. His end goal is to give up."

She said that until he turned 18 last week, he was being supervised by Gloucestershire Youth Offending Service.

"He is of limited means," she said. "He is relying on his mother and is living in the pub."

She said he has an unpaid work order but due to confusion with the address next door, which is similar, he had not attended all the sessions but he was motivated to do so.

He was fined £50, and ordered to pay £45 towards prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge. The bench ordered the drugs be destroyed.

"We note that you are of limited means and live with your mother but we note you have the means to pay for the drugs," said bench chairman Stephen Pitt.

Banks, who was 17 on January 6 when the offence was committed, admitted possession of cannabis.

http://www.stroudlife.co.uk 26/03/2014