Caught on camera sniffing drugs in a park

Two pals who were “just trying to have a good time” paid the price after being caught on camera taking drugs in a park.Jake Wright, 25, of Riverbank Close, March, had travelled to meet up with his friend Damien Warby, of St James Lodge, Lynn on June 29.Abdul Khan, prosecuting, told Lynn magistrates on Thursday that the pair had then gone into The Walks park where they were spotted by council CCTV operators sniffing a white powder.

Police were alerted and the men were “caught red-handed” with the powder, which was initially thought to be a class A drug but turned out to be ketamine, which is class B.Mr Khan, who was prosecuting via video link, said the friends made “roadside” admissions when approached by the police.Both men pleaded guilty to possession of a class B drug when they appeared in court. Andrew Cogan, mitigating for both men, said: “Back in the day when I was a lad it was smoking behind the bike shed, this is a bit similar.“They are old pals. They met up and each had their own ketamine and decided it was a good idea to have a quick snifter in The Walks but did not pay any attention whatsoever to the multiple CCTV cameras, but the council’s operators saw these two sniffing white powder. “It would have been just as easy for them to have gone across the road to Mr Warby’s home address.”He said the pair made full admissions when interviewed by police but refused to say where they had obtained the drug.“In short it was a couple of pals trying to have a good time,” added Mr Cogan. Wright, who is unemployed, was fined £80, with £42.50 costs and £32 victim surcharge. Warby, who is in work, was fined £253 with £42.50 costs and £101 victim surcharge.Magistrates ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.