A FORMER Skipton man has been ordered to pay £259 in fines and costs after admitting being in possession of heroin and cocaine.

Leigh Halford, 50, was a passenger in a car that was stopped by police in Keighley Road, Skipton almost a year ago, heard Skipton Magistrates Court on Friday.

Items suspected to be drugs were found in his trouser pocket and Halford was taken to Harrogate Police Station. It was later established when Halford went to the police station as a voluntary attendee that the drugs were for his own use. Halford admitted two counts of possession of a class A controlled drug on May 6, last year. The court heard in mitigation he had been working with a drug and alcohol support group in Burnley.

The court heard there had been a delay due in part to the forensic examination of the drugs and because of other matters, that had not been proceeded with.

Magistrates fined Halford, now of Wynotham Street, Burnley, £140 and ordered him to pay costs of £85 and a surcharge of £34. A forfeiture and destruction order was made on the drugs.