Probation for man caught using cannabis after release from prison

28-year-old claimed he was using it for medicinal reasons

A Douglas man who was jailed last year after being caught with almost £40,000 of cannabis has appeared in court after re-offending on his release from prison.

Stephen Whittaker, of Ballafletcher Road, was caught with 3.4 grams of the Class B drug on Sunday (4 June).

Police had smelt cannabis coming from Glen Falcon Gardens on Broadway – when they searched the 28-year-old they found drugs with a street value of £68.

He was arrested and told officers the cannabis was for his personal use and he was using it to aid his anxiety and depression.

At Douglas Courthouse Whittaker admitted the offence – the court heard he’d recently been released from prison after serving a ‘lengthy term of imprisonment’.

Whittaker was jailed in 2022 as part of ‘Operation Artemis’ after admitting producing cannabis to the Isle of Man.

He was arrested on 17 June after a parcel was delivered to his home which contained almost 2,000 grams of cannabis wrapped in Disney wrapping paper.

Whittaker’s advocate said he had been doing ‘extremely well’ since his release but was using cannabis for ‘medicinal reasons’.

Ordering him to work with the probation service for six months High Bailiff Jayne Hughes told him: “Cannabis is not, perhaps, the best idea to treat anxiety.”

He was also ordered to pay £125 in prosecution costs.