Court hears how man who accepted drugs at a funeral was later found in possession of cocaine by police

A South Tyneside electrician on a downer at a late friend’s funeral wake was caught with cocaine when police were called to deal with trouble.

Daniel Puttick, 36, accepted an offer of the drug while he drowned his sorrows with booze at the Marine pub in Ocean Road, South Shields.

But Puttick of Horsley Hill Road, also South Shields, was quizzed by officers after reports of early hours trouble on Saturday, May 20.

Borough magistrates heard the family man immediately confessed to being in possession of the illegal substance.

They were told Puttick had a recent past caution for drugs’ possession but had been medically assessed as not having an abuse problem.

Prosecutor Paul Doney said: “At 12.10am police had cause to attend the Marine pub, following a report of an ongoing incident.

“The defendant was approached by an officer who was told that he was in possession of drugs.

“Two small bags of a white powder were found on his person. He later said that they were for personal use.

“He has no previous convictions but was recently given a conditional caution for possession of class A.”

Puttick pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of controlled class A drug cocaine.

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Paul Hanratty, defending, said: “The defendant is 36 years of age and has never appeared before a court before, though I can see there’s a previous caution.

“He is married with two children and has a good job as an electrician.

“On this day, he had been to the funeral of a family friend, and he was drinking at a pub afterwards.

“Someone suggested that there were some drugs and he foolishly avowed himself of them.

“When the police came due to disorder in the pub, he immediately volunteered that he had drugs.

“I’ve asked him if he has a drug problem, given that he was given a caution last year.

“He was triaged, and it was decided that he didn’t need any help. He said that on this day, he was vulnerable and had relapsed.”

Magistrates fined Puttick £600, with a £240 victim surcharge and £85 court costs, and ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the cocaine.