A delay in a court case spared a man from immediate jail. And it was all the sweeter for Marcus Atkins as he was in breach of a previously suspended sentence.
Police who pulled Atkins over, suspecting his Audi MOT was lapsed, found him in possession of cannabis. He admitted he had picked up "a bit" of the Class B drug for himself and a couple of mates.
Atkins, 31, whose address was given as Watson Avenue in Brislington, pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply in November 2020. Bristol Crown Court heard that delay in the case - possibly down to the pandemic - had allowed Atkins to quit drugs and get work.
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Judge Michael Longman handed him a 12 months jail term suspended for two years. He told Atkins: "To your credit you've got a job and apparently you are doing well in it, and a college course you are due to do. In the long run that's probably a better outcome for you and society."
Atkins was fined £500 for breach of a suspended sentence. He was also given 150 hours' unpaid work, rehabilitation, a six-month curfew, was deprived of £630 found on him and ordered to pay £250 prosecution costs.
Neil Treharne, prosecuting, said police found Atkins with three phones as well as six snap bags of cannabis, weighing scales and £630 cash. He was arrested and said the money was his Universal Credit.
Mr Treharne said analysis of his phones showed evidence of cannabis dealing in small amounts. He added that, in 2019, Atkins was handed 16 months' prison, suspended for 18 months, after being convicted of possessing cannabis with intent to supply.
Alec Small, defending, said: "He accepts what he did was wrong and stupid. In late 2020 he was unemployed, he couldn't get a job, he was still using cannabis and he decided, foolishly, to support his own use by dealing a bit on the side."
The court heard Atkins had found full-time work and was booked in for a three-year college course for the job starting in September.
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