A DRUG addict was caught buying heroin and cocaine in Basingstoke just hours after he told a crown court judge he was feeling positive about his progress in coming off the drugs.

Nirmal Sen was spotted by plain clothed police officers buying drugs in a Basingstoke town centre underpass on April 14.

Prosecuting at Winchester Crown Court, Adrian Fleming said: “Clearly, he was purchasing drugs. He was stopped when he left the underpass and the police saw he had something in his mouth.

“He was detained on the ground, and prevented from swallowing. He spit out the drugs in a bag, which contained two wraps of heroin and one wrap of cocaine.”

Mr Fleming said the total value of the drugs was around £40, adding: “He denied any intention to supply the drugs, and we accept that.”

At the time of the offence, Sen, 24, was subject to a sentence of six months, suspended for 24 months, for a previous offence of possession of cocaine with intent to supply, imposed on January 17.

The sentence included a drug rehabilitation requirement, for which Sen was required to attend sessions about his progress.

He had attended one of these sessions with Judge Jane Miller on the morning of April 14, just hours before he was caught reoffending by the police.

Defending Sen, Lisa Stewart said he had made some progress in his attempts to get clean.

She said: “He is honest about the fact that he still uses these drugs once a week. For him, to go from using every day to using once a week is in his view progress.”

She added he had been an addict for eight years and, apart from one previous conviction, had a clean criminal record.

Sentencing Sen, Judge Miller said she was disappointed he had gone to buy drugs immediately after meeting with her.

She said: “I have seen you on a number of occasions. You have always seemed genuine and honest.

“The last time I saw you in April, you left here and went back to Basingstoke and bought these wraps which is very disappointing.”

She told Sen that the drug rehabilitation requirement will remain in place until October. She ordered him to pay a total fine of £200 and imposed a two-month curfew on him.

The curfew will mean that Sen will have to remain at his home in Blair Road, in the Cranbourne area of Basingstoke, between 6pm and 9am from Monday to Thursday, and from 11pm to 9am from Friday to Sunday.