Teenager found with cannabis

6:06pm Thursday 13th December 2007

TEENAGER David Vinall has admitted possessing cannabis with the intent to supply.

But the 18-year-old insists he was only holding a bag containing the drugs for a few minutes while his friend lit a cigarette and put on a coat.

Vinall was arrested after he and a second man, Jonathan Capaldi, were spotted walking in South Marston shortly before 6am on Saturday, February 3.

When a plastic bag he was carrying was searched it was found to contain a quantity of green matter which was 195 grammes of cannabis.

He was arrested and a court was told that when he was questioned he told police that he had been looking after the drugs at home for another person.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court: "This defendant said in interview that he was holding the bag for another.

"That he was taking it from his own home to Capaldi's home because his mother was nosing around and he didn't want her to find it."

However Vinall, of Highworth Road, South Marston, admitted the offence on the basis that he was holding it for only a moment.

He insisted he had it only while his friend was putting on his coat and lighting a cigarette.

The prosecution initially said they would not accept that basis of plea but Recorder Duncan Adam said the two accounts would only lead to a minimal difference in the sentence passed.

Vinall will now be sentence in the New Year on his own basis of plea.

He adjourned the case to Wednesday, January 23 and released Vinall on unconditional bail so the probation service can compile a pre-sentence report on him.