A 19-year-old man who pleaded guilty of possessing £440 worth of cannabis has been spared a prison sentence by magistrates in Ipswich.Alec Kelly, of Main Road, Chelmondiston was instead given a 220 hour Community Punishment Order after admitting he was in possession of 103g of cannabis resin on August 28 last year.

A 19-year-old man who pleaded guilty of possessing £440 worth of cannabis has been spared a prison sentence by magistrates in Ipswich.

Alec Kelly, of Main Road, Chelmondiston was instead given a 220 hour Community Punishment Order after admitting he was in possession of 103g of cannabis resin on August 28 last year.

David Taylor prosecuting told the court that Kelly was found with the drugs in a house in St Nicholas Street.

He said: "He admitted in interview that it was for his own personal use, but later in court he admitted that it was also with intent to supply. It was not sold for any profit, it was to be sold at cost price."

Various items of drug paraphernalia including scales were also seized from the house.

Howard Catherall, mitigating, said: "At the time of the incident, he was smoking a lot of cannabis. It was for his own personal use as he smoked cannabis every day. The reason he had so much was that he bought it in bulk as it was cheaper.

"The intent to supply was to his friends in small amounts and there was no intent to make a profit from the sale of the drugs."

Magistrates accepted that there was no ulterior motive for the drugs possession and gave Kelly credit for both his guilty plea and his co-operation in the case.

In addition to the Community Punishment Order, he was fined £55 costs.