Dad given conditional discharge over drugs charges

A father escaped prison after pleading guilty to two charges of possession of ketamin but told magistrates he was turning his life around.Luke Hasdell, 29, of Gaywood Road, Lynn, told Lynn magistrates on Thursday he had been addicted to the drug since 2020 but had been clean for two months after seeking help from the Change Grow Live charity following his arrest for the second offence on June 3 this year.Katherine Newson, prosecuting, outlined the case against Hadsell and said he had been spotted by police leaving an address in Smith Avenue, Lynn on April 25.

She said the officers stopped and told Hasdell he was being searched under the Misuse Of Drugs Act and he told them he had some ketamine on him. It was later weighed at 2.81g.In a no-comment interview, Hasdell gave only one proper answer and that was to admit the drug was for personal use.On June 3 Hasdell was spotted coming out of some flats in Southgate Street. He walked off towards Lynn town centre, police followed him and Hasdell started to run. The officers pursued him and saw him throw a blue cupcake case away as he ran. The police eventually caught up with him and Hasdell said he had run because he panicked.Ms Newson said the case against Hasdell was serious enough for a prison sentence to be considered. Hasdell told magistrates he was now two months free of drugs and added: “I don’t want to go to prison, I have a son and I have just managed to gain access and going to prison would really mess up my life. I don’t do ket any more.”Having heard Hasdell was working with CGL, magistrates decided to give him a conditional discharge for six months but warned that if he was caught again he would face being sentenced for both these offences.They ordered him to pay £26 victim surcharge and also ordered the drugs to be forfeited.