A man tried to run from police after he was spotted with 11 canisters of laughing gas in a Northumberland car park. Olly White was sat with pals in a vehicle in the early hours of the morning in Hexham when officers approached them.
Attempted escape and arrest
A court heard that the 22-year-old and his friends immediately got out of the vehicle and tried to flee on foot but they were later detained. When searched, White was found to have 11 canisters of Nitrous Oxide, otherwise known as laughing gas, which is illegal to have for recreational use.
White, of Synclen Avenue, in Corbridge, Northumberland, was arrested but failed to show for a court hearing last month and a warrant was issued for his arrest. He appeared in the dock in custody this week to plead guilty to possession of a class C drug.
Court proceedings
Christopher O'Brien, prosecuting at Newcastle Magistrates' Court, said the offence happened on May 29 this year. Mr O'Brien continued: "The defendant was found with 11 canisters of Nitrous Oxide. This was after police located a car in a car park in Hexham in the early hours of the morning. When the people in the car saw the police, they fled and investigations led police to the defendant. He admitted possessing the canisters for his own use."
Jack Lovell, defending, said White had no past convictions, worked as a roofer and was disappointed to find himself in court. Mr Lovell added: "He was in a car with friends and they were consuming Nitrous Oxide on a recreational basis. He doesn't have a problem with drugs, however."
Sentence
Magistrates gave White a six-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £85 costs and a £26 victim surcharge.
