A MAN ran off with two women's handbags because he believed they had stolen his drugs, a court heard.Mark Platts had left Kartouche night club with two women and had offered them a smoke of cannabis as they walked towards the town centre, a court heard.

A MAN ran off with two women's handbags because he believed they had stolen his drugs, a court heard.

Mark Platts had left Kartouche night club with two women and had offered them a smoke of cannabis as they walked towards the town centre, a court heard.

Stephen Colman, prosecuting at South East Suffolk Magistrates, said Anita McKenzie and Elizabeth Stanton had been discussing how they and Platts were going to travel home when Platts discovered his cannabis was missing.

Mr Colman said: "He suspected the girls had got it.

"He confronted them and said 'You have got my draw, if I don't get it back I'll get killed.'"

The court heard that Platts started searching through the women's handbags but ran off with them when he realised they were calling the police.

Platts, 24, of Adams Place, Kesgrave, pleaded guilty to two charges of theft.

Ian Duckworth, mitigating, said Platts had thrown the bags away but had returned again the next day to look for them.

Mr Duckworth added: "The two girls are known to the court, one is a persistent offender."

He said his client had got a criminal record but had been out of trouble for almost three years.

Platts breathed a sigh of relief as he was conditionally discharged for six months.

He was ordered to pay £27 compensation to each of the women and £55 towards court costs.