A HOOK man was caught with cannabis only months after being handed a suspended sentence for a similar offence.

Police officers arrested Andrew Davis after he was found with a small quantity of the Class B drug in the early hours of Saturday, October 5, last year.

Winchester Crown Court heard Davis was spotted by the police driving up to his home address in Hop Garden Road, just after 1am. Officers spoke to Davis before conducting a brief search, during which they found a packet of cannabis worth around £10 in his pocket.

Davis, 30, was arrested and invited officers into his home. The property was searched but no drugs were found.

Prosecuting, Mr Anthony Bailey said: “He agreed to be interviewed. He acknowledged the substance found was cannabis, and he acknowledged that it was worth around £10. He said he had not purchased the drug. It had been given to him by a friend.”

The court heard that Davis had at the time been subject to a suspended sentence for possession with intent to supply a Class B drug.

The 12-month sentence, which was suspended for 24 months on July 11, 2013, was imposed after “quite a lot” of cannabis was discovered by police in a car in which Davis was a passenger, Mr Bailey said.

More cannabis was discovered during a subsequent search of his home, and messages found on his phone revealed that he had sold and was supplying the drug.

The court heard Davis, who has been working as a technician in Hook, has also been cautioned twice for possession of cannabis, in May 2004 and in August 2007.

Defending Davis, Sinead Willox said he had done “extremely well” on probation and that he had already completed an unpaid work requirement which was imposed alongside the suspended sentence.

Referring to the latest offence, she said: “He made a full admission at his home address. In my submission, this is a matter where the suspended sentence order could be allowed to continue.”

She added that Davis had been in employment since November, adding: “He and his partner are trying to make ends meet.”

Judge John Williams agreed that the suspended sentence should continue.

Davis was fined £50 after admitting possession of cannabis, £250 for the breach of the suspended sentence, and he was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £320 in addition to a surcharge of £50. He was told to pay the full amount of £670 within three months.