A Dutch national living in West Sussex has been ordered to carry out community work after he admitted importing cannabis resin.
Willem Sparenburg, of Jarvis Road, Arundel, was found in possession of the Class B drug at Harwich, Essex, on December 14.
Malcolm Pugh, prosecuting yesterday for HM Customs & Excise, told Colchester magistrates that the drug was found in Sparenburg's jacket. Weighing 295g, it had a street value of £864.
Sparenburg, 43, said he knew it was illegal to import drugs into Britain, but understood from the Dutch Press that cannabis was becoming "more decriminalised" in this country.
He said he took the drug to deal with back pain.
After reading a pre-sentence report, the bench imposed a 100-hour community punishment order and ordered the destruction of the drug.
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