Ex-Junkie Rewarded For Kicking Drug Habit

Angus Duncanson

A self-medicating addict, caught with a cocktail of drugs after a passer-by spotted him snorting a suspicious substance in his parked van, has been rewarded for his efforts to kick his habit.

Angus Duncanson, 45, of Smenham Farm, Icomb, had cocaine, heroin, magic mushrooms and cannabis on him, which police estimated to originally have a street value of £1900.

He claims he needs the drugs to alleviate the pain of a decade-old injury and this week was finally sentenced after a nine-month deferment period.

Duncanson appeared at Hammersmith Magistrates Court and received a twelve-month conditional discharge with an order to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

He previously pleading guilty to four counts of possessing the drugs in Linden Gardens, Bayswater, west London on August 17.

Duncanson attended all appointments with the North West Drugs Project and stayed off all drugs, except those prescribed.

“You have done all that has been asked of you over the deferment period,” District Judge Paul Goldspring told him.

After admitting the offences last year prosecutor Miss Louise Burnell told the court: “It was 4pm when police were called to Linden Gardens after reports from a member of the public of a man in a van sniffing something.

“The police found the defendant in the van, along with several different drugs.”

Officers seized two packages of cocaine weighing 1.1gms; a 2.22gm package of heroin; 3.89gms of magic mushrooms and 380gms of both herbal and cannabis resin.

“Combined the drugs had a street value, according to the police of one thousand nine hundred pounds, but a lot of it was covered in mould so was worthless,” added Miss Burnell.

Duncanson was arrested on suspicion he was a drug-dealer, but an analysis of his mobile phone failed to find any evidence of “criminal activity” and he was charged with simple possession.

When questioned by police the first-time offender admitted the drugs were for his own use, claiming he had a fall ten years ago and suffered chronic pain, which was alleviated by the use of cannabis and heroin.

“He said he smoked heroin on a daily basis and spends one hundred and twenty pounds a week on drugs, using the money he received from a house sale.”

His lawyer Mr. Mark Haslam told the court: “There is a variety of drugs, but the amounts are small.”

He estimated the cocaine to be merely £37 worth, the heroin £100 and the mushrooms £38.