'Meow' drug man's liberty poised on a 'knife edge'

Offence breached suspended sentence order

MAGISTRATES warned a Newbury man caught with the designer drug mephedrone that his continued liberty was poised on a “knife edge.”

Adrian James Boardman had defied the terms of a suspended prison sentence order by getting caught with the Class B controlled stimulant, also known as M-Cat, or Meow.

Helen Waite, prosecuting on Thursday, February 18, said a search warrant was executed at the 28-year-old’s home in Cavalier Close and four plastic bags were found which were subsequently found to contained mephedrone.

Mr Boardman admitted possessing the drug on January 7.

He also has previous convictions for similar offences and the court heard that he was subject to a suspended prison sentence.

The law states that if a defendant re-offends during the suspension term then the sentence should be activated, in part or in full, unless it would be unjust in all the circumstances to do so.

Mike Davis, defending, said: “This is the first time he has been in breach and there are no aggravating features in relation to the offence itself.

“It was a very small quantity for personal use and he co-operated fully with the officers. The suspended sentence was imposed for an offence of domestic violence which, while obviously serious, is of a very different nature to the one before you today.”

He added that his client had been “engaging really well with the probation service” and urged the court not to activate the suspended sentence.

After confering with a colleague, presiding magistrate Tony Ayres announced: “We’re not going to activate the suspended sentence, having taken account of what your defence and probation have said. But we came very close. You really are running a knife edge risk here, so you’ve got to change your baheviour. Stop taking drugs.”

Mr Boardman was fined £250 and ordered to pay £85 costs plus a £25 victim surcharge.