A 17-YEAR-OLD boy has been spared punishment after being found with seven bags of cannabis at The Malls, Basingstoke.

The teenager from Buckskin - who cannot be named for legal reasons - was at the shopping centre with another male on the afternoon of September 4, 2020, Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court heard today (Friday, April 16). 

Ms Richardson, prosecuting, said that a member of the public approached staff at The Malls and said they had seen “two young males acting suspiciously”. 

The boys were located using CCTV, but when police arrived they “ran off”. 

The defendant was found to be in possession of 7.7g of cannabis. 

Mr Stott, defending, told the court that his client was issued with a six-month referral order on June 3 2020, which was extended to 10 months in October following a similar drug offence.

However, as of today, the order is complete. Mr Stott said all appointments had been attended, drug awareness sessions undertaken and no further offences committed. 

“He was using cannabis quite regularly at the time, and he would have used the drugs that were seized from him,” he added. 

The magistrates asked the defendant what he had learned from his order, to which he responded: “I think things through before I do them, and know that there are options before jumping in and doing something stupid.”

He added that he had “cut down” on his drug use and was currently seeking employment in a practical trade.

The magistrates ordered a conditional discharge, forfeiture, and destruction of the seized drugs, and £100 in costs.

This means that, should the defendant commit another offence in the next 12 months, he can be brought back before the court for this incident too.