A HAVERFORDWEST man who bought a quantity of what he believed was legal hemp, this week found himself before magistrates on a charge of possessing a controlled Class B drug.

Jayden Morgan-James was visited by officers at his home address in Vicary Crescent, Milford Haven on November 15, 2023.

“The officers wanted to carry out a welfare check but upon their arrival the defendant was inside the property and became irate when asked to step outside,” Crown Prosecutor Abigail Jackson told Haverfordwest magistrates this week.  

“He continued to argue and was eventually arrested.”

While officers carried out a search of the property, they discovered a quantity of cannabis which had been placed inside a large bag.  Subsequent examinations confirmed this amounted to 69.05 grams.

Morgan-James pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing the controlled class B drug.  He was represented in court by Mr David Wiliams.

“At first glance this might appear to be quite a large amount of cannabis, “ he said.  “But it’s just over two ounces in weight, so it’s not a humongous amount.”
Mr Williams went on to say that his client uses hemp as a means of coping with his schizophrenia, severe depression and anxiety.

“He takes a plethora of prescribed drugs including sedatives and antidepressants and his possession of cannabis plays a significant part in that,” he explained.

“He consumes cannabis because he finds its relaxing properties are beneficial.  He bought this, believing it was hemp with CBD [cannabidiol] content, however the drug seized by the police was analysed and a large quantity was found to contain cannabis.”

Morgan-James was fined £80 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £32 surcharge.  A forfeiture and destruction order was imposed for the cannabis.