Newbury man used drugs to lose weight, court told

Zachary Adrian Slater, aged 47, prompted a search of his Pigeon’s Farm Road house when he interrupted a police drugs raid in Hutton Close by letting himself into the property carrying around £500 in cash, Newbury Magistrates heard.
Prosecuting, Helen Waite, said that police discovered “a large quantity of class A and class B drugs” at the Hutton Close property on May 10, prompting a search of Mr Slater’s house.
She said that a small bag of speed was found next to Mr Slater’s computer and another small amount in an upstairs room. The total amount of the drug amounted to 2.25grams, which Miss Waite said he admitted he used because he wanted to lose weight.
He was served with a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a statutory surcharge of £15 and £85 in prosecution costs.
Mr Slater, who represented himself, said: “I was using amphetamines because I was overweight. I shouldn’t be using it. I do apologise, it was merely for that reason I had it.”