A MAN was caught with cannabis on him after the car he was travelling in sped past police.
Mahdi Yousef, 28, of Isaac Square, Great Baddow, was found with two grams of the Class B drug on Tuesday, November 25 as a front-seat passenger in a Volkswagen Golf.
The car sped past officers towards The Meads in Chelmsford and the patrol car then pulled the vehicle over.
The defendant was asked if he had any drugs on him and he replied that there was some cannabis in the door pocket.
On Thursday last week at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court, Yousef pleaded guilty to the offence.
The court heard the 28-year-old had six previous convictions for eight offences, seven of which were drug offences, between 2005 and 2013.
He had stopped using drugs but relapsed after suffering a recent family bereavement.
Chairman of the bench, Paul Jee, said: "We have decided to issue a slightly more serious fine because of the significant history of drug-related offences."
Yousef was fined £210 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £21 victim surcharge.
The seizure and destruction of the cannabis was also ordered.
