Man had cocaine to 'cure toothache'

10:56am Wednesday 7th May 2008

A man caught in a pub toilet with a wrap of cocaine told police he bought it to cure his toothache.

Colin Campbell, 26, was discovered by door staff acting suspiciously in the toilets of Chicago Rock Café on a night out in Watford town centre on Friday, March 21.

A small wrap of white powder was found in the left-hand pocket of his jeans and police were called.

On arrest Campbell said: "Yes a bro offered me some stuff. I took it. My mistake."

However during interview at the station Campbell came up with his medical reason for having the Class A drug in his possession saying it was to relieve the pain of "severe toothache" said Geoff Porter, prosecuting at St Albans Crown Court.

Campbell, who was jailed for 14 months in 2005 for wounding, was just weeks into a suspended jail sentence imposed for attacking a taxi driver at the time of the latest drugs offence.

He had pleaded guilty to possession of Class A drugs at the magistrates court and admitted breaching the six months prison sentence which had been suspended for two years.

Campbell, of High Acres, Abbots Langley, is banned from entering licensed premises unless accompanied by his girlfriend. The order was made at the same time as the suspended prison sentence.

Jennifer Garn, defending, asked the judge not to imprison Campbell for breaching the suspended sentence for a "one off" drugs offence.

"He made the foolish mistake of taking Class A drugs. He had teeth removed a couple of days before. He made a compulsive decision to try and take these drugs to alleviate the pain," she said.

Campbell works as a contract centre manager and would be willing to carry out any further punishment than go back to prison said Miss Garn.

Judge Colin Colston, sentencing Campbell, said when he first viewed the papers he had no doubt Campbell would be going to prison, but was prepared to impose more "onerous requirements" on his current community order.

Campbell was fined £350 and put under 18 months supervision by probation.

He must attend a training programme to address his aggressive behaviour. Prosecution costs of £150 were awarded.

Judge Colston said: "If you breach this order and are brought back here, or commit further criminal offences you will be off to prison to serve six months for ABH of the taxi driver in addition to any further sentence."

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