A man had almost a kilo of cannabis in his garden shed walked from court with a suspended sentence.

Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard that Daniel Harkins’ home in Milton was visited by the police on November 13, 2019. The detectives were said to be investigating allegations of drug dealing by others.

In a shed in the back garden was a plastic bag containing 989g of cannabis.

The court heard police estimated it had a wholesale value of £5,000 but could have been broken down and sold for up to £12,360 on the street.

David Pallett, representing Harkins on Wednesday afternoon, said his client had actually bought the drugs for £3,500 – borrowing the money from friends so he could buy the cannabis in bulk.

He had been in a motorcycle accident some years ago, leaving him in a coma with serious brain injuries. He also suffered from mental health issues.

The cannabis was all for his personal use, Mr Pallett said, echoing what his client told the police when he was interviewed back in 2019.

The magistrates were told that, as well as the cannabis, a tiny amount of cocaine was found in a Nike bag in the house.

Harkins, 26, now of Harcourt Terrace, Oxford, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and cocaine. He was sentenced to 14 weeks’ imprisonment suspended for two years. He must do 40 hours of unpaid work, up to 20 rehabilitation days and pay £213 in costs and surcharge.

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This story was written by Tom Seaward. He joined the team in 2021 as Oxfordshire's court and crime reporter.  

To get in touch with him email: Tom.Seaward@newsquest.co.uk

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