High on ketamine, man collapses in street

Police tried to talk to to Kieran John Franklin, of Lower Way, Thatcham, but speech was beyond him, the court was told on Thursday, January 30.
Claire French, prosecuting, said officers were responding to calls from members of the public when they found the 24-year-old slumped, nearly senseless, on the pavement outside Barclays Bank.
She added: “He was in a semi conscious state, unable to stand and unable to speak.”
Officers were unsure if he was drunk or drugged, but powder crusted around Mr Franklin’s nostrils suggested the latter, magistrates heard.
At the police station, he was found to have a plastic bag containing white powder which, tests later showed, was 0.33 grammes of the Class C controlled drug, known for incapacitating users and causing bizarre hallucinations.
Mr Franklin, a bricklayer who represented himself in court, admitted possessing the drug on December 7 last year.
He has previous convictions, the court heard, but not for drugs offences.
Mr told magistrates: “I wasn’t doing anyone any harm. I was just asleep in the town.”
He was fined £50 with £85 costs and £20 victim surcharge.
Magistrates ordered that the drugs be forfeited and detroyed.