A MAN who admitted possessing a class B drug has been fined by magistrates.

Red Beard, of St Mark's Court, Coundon Grange, denied possessing 75.1 grams of amphetamine sulphate when he appeared before magistrates in Newton Aycliffe yesterday.

David Maddison, prosecuting, told the court that police executed a search warrant at an address in West Cornforth on Friday, April 2.

The female householder was present and she handed police an amount of amphetamine.

Police with dogs searched the premises and recovered more of the drug from a flower bed in the back garden.

The householder was arrested and interviewed, but said she had no knowledge of how the substance had got there.

Beard, 48, contacted the police by telephone to admit that all of the substances belonged to him.

He told police he had a prior relationship and a child with the householder and that she was covering for him.

Beard said he had paid £300 for the amphetamines and that it was all for personal use.

He was fined £350, plus £34 court costs. Magistrates also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.