A MAN caught with cannabis at home claimed he had been using the drug to get himself off heroin addiction, an Isle of Wight court was told.

Alan Tinsley, of Union Street, Ryde, admitted possessing cannabis on August 31.

Police pulled over the 39-year-old on East Hill Road, Ryde, on suspicion of drug-driving, said Lauren Stone, prosecuting, at the Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on Friday, October 13.

As a result, police executed a search warrant of Tinsley's home and found 9g of cannabis, with a street value of £40.

Tinsley has a criminal record that includes several drug possession convictions, for class A and B drugs.

For Tinsley, Barry Arnett said his client accepted his guilt, but claimed he had used cannabis to successfully wean himself off heroin addiction.

"Because he was using cannabis, he had not gone back to his old ways of using heroin," explained Mr Arnett.

Magistrates fined Tinsley £120, with £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.