AN Ilminster man who had a Christmas Day outing to Bridgwater Police Station after being found in possession of drugs was told by magistrates that he “did not seem to be getting it” after hearing he had four previous similar convictions.

The police turned up at Luke Rogers’ address in Boxstone Hill for an unrelated matter but after he was arrested he was taken to the police station.

While there he was searched and they discovered a quantity of cannabis in his possession which he admitted belonged to him, saying he intended to smoke it himself.

The 23-year-old defendant, currently living at an address in Northaw Road West, Potters Bar, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates at Yeovil.

He pleaded guilty to a charge that on December 25 he was in possession of a quantity of cannabis (class B).

Prosecutor Suzie Butler said that shortly after midday an officer attended the defendant’s address in Ilminster over another incident.

“He spoke to Rogers and arrested him and he was taken to Bridgwater police station,” she said.

“Once there a search was conducted and the officer located a black plastic tube in a bag and there was a small amount of herbal cannabis inside.”

When he was interviewed he admitted possessing the drug saying it was for his own personal use.

The court was also told he had four previous convictions for possession of cannabis and was currently on a community order imposed for two of the offences.

He was not represented by a solicitor in court, but mitigation had been supplied via a letter from his legal firm.

In it a spokesman said that Rogers had fallen out with his family and had been unable to stay in the Ilminster area any longer.

He was about to start work as a chef at a restaurant in Hertfordshire and had also suffered with some mental health issues.

Rogers said he only used cannabis on occasion and did not have a drug dependency.

Chair of the magistrates, Beverley Higgs, told Rogers: “You don’t seem to be getting it that this is just not permitted.”

They fined him £120 with £85 costs and a £30 victim surcharge and a destruction order was made for the cannabis.