A Monkton man has been given a 12-month conditional discharge in court after admitting possessing a plastic bag containing traces of cocaine.

Thirty-one-year-old John Brunton, of Colley Court, appeared at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Tuesday, charged with having traces of cocaine in his possession in Pembroke Dock.

Prosecutor Dennis Davies told the court that Mr. Brunton had been to a store in the town and whilst there a plastic bag had fallen out of his pocket.

“The bag was picked up by a member of staff and as it had a smiley face on it they were a bit suspicious.

“CCTV showed Mr. Brunton standing by the till where the bag had fallen, and he made an admission to the police when interviewed that he knew that it was in his possession,” continued Mr. Davies.

Defence solicitor Mike Kelleher told the court that this was a ‘very unusual’ case.

“In my papers normally it would say X amount per gram, but I can’t give you a value, because there was nothing in the plastic bag, it really was just traces of cocaine.

“It was an unweighable and unusable amount of drugs. When asked what he was going to do with the bag, Mr, Brunton said he was going to throw it in the bin,” continued Mr. Kelleher.

Magistrates gave the defendant a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay a £20 victim surcharge. They also ordered the destruction of the plastic bag.