WHEN door staff at an Old Town bar saw a man take a wrap out of his back pocket they restrained him and called the police.
Officers found 24-year-old Matthew McGuinness on the ground being restrained outside the Kings Hotel in Wood Street when they arrived on June 1.
The wrap was found to contain two grams of cocaine with a street value of around £10.
McGuinness, of Ash Gardens, South Marston, pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of a class A substance when he came before magistrates sitting in Swindon on Wednesday.
His defence, Gordon Hotson, told the court that the wrap contained a very small amount of the illegal drug that was only for personal use.
“He was hoping to go travelling and he knows that a drug conviction will hamper his applications for visas,” he said.
Sentencing him, chairman of the bench Timothy Foster, told him they had reduced his fine from £400 to £270 in light of his guilty pleas. McGuinness must also pay a victim surcharge of £30 and costs of £85.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article