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Community service for man who thought drugs were 'legal'

Fri, 15 Apr 2016

A Polish man has been ordered to carry out 180 hours of community service after being caught with drugs he thought were "legal".

32-year-old Tomasz Pasternak was sentenced at Douglas Courthouse earlier this week - he'd previously pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing drugs.

Police stopped him in his car on Woodbourne Road in Douglas on the evening of December 18th - they searched him after noticing he was fidgeting with his clothing.

He was found to be carrying heroin - with a street value of £350 - cocaine, valued at £70, and cannabis worth £1.06p.

In a police interview he told officers he believed the substances were "legal highs" - his advocate told the court the drugs were for his own personal use and he was planning to take them at a party.

She said Pasternak realised it was an "irresponsible act" and he'd put his family "at risk" financially - including his mother in Poland to whom he sends money to.

Sentencing him Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes also fined him £300 and ordered him to pay court costs of £125.

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