A NEWPORT man has been given a suspended sentence for drugs possession and driving while disqualified.

Ethan Martin Brown, 22 of Laburnum Court, Rogerstone, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine – a class A drug - possession of cannabis – a class B drug - driving whilst disqualified and driving without insurance.

Brown was already subject to a suspended sentence for other offences which was imposed in December – which saw him disqualified from driving and ordered to carry out unpaid work.

Gareth Williams, defending Brown, told Recorder Duncan Bould that his client understood he had breached his previous sentence and that he had been working with the probation service to complete his unpaid work – having completed 23 of the 30 meetings with three acceptable absences and four unacceptable absences.

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Mr Williams said: “The defendant is a young man who aspires to get employment. He has done two years of a plumbing course and is waiting on the outcome of the case to finish it. He is frustrated that he hasn’t yet finished the course.

“Young men who have family support, which the defendant has, and have employment and a sense of purpose and stability are likely to not reoffend.”

The offences occurred on April 2.

“He was on an electric scooter on April 2, and it has been taken away by the police and he is a polite young person who has made mistakes,” said Mr Williams.

Due to the probation report showing that Brown was working towards rehabilitation, the judge did not invoke the prison sentence for the breach of the suspended sentence.

“The probation service feel there is the prospect of rehabilitation in the community," said Recorder Bould. "You have performed reasonably well as far as unpaid work is concerned but there is work to be done to address your immaturity and attraction to drugs to live a crime free life.

“You came within a very small window of going to prison.”

Recorder Bould added 30 hours of unpaid work onto the defendant’s existing hours – for a total of 101 hours to complete. It was agreed by the probation service that there would be another 12 months added to his existing time frame to allow for completion of these hours – as the window was due to end in December.

Brown was given a four-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months for driving whilst disqualified and a one-month sentence suspended for 12 months to run concurrently for possession of cocaine.

There was no further penalty imposed for the possession of cannabis and he was disqualified from driving for another two years. He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £128.