GAZETTE & HERALD: TUMAINI Matsimela, who was caught with hundreds of pounds worth of class A drugs at a house in Chippenham, has walked free from court.

Matsimela, 21, of Bristol, told police he was going share the heroin and crack cocaine with friends when he was questioned over the haul.

A judge at Swindon Crown Court decided not to jail him after he pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing the drugs with intent to supply.

The court heard that he threw the stash of hard drugs out of the window when police called at the home of a friend on the Pewsham Estate.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, said on May 14 last year police went to the estate following reports of a woman in a distressed state.

When they arrived they came to the conclusion that she was suffering the affects of taking drugs and helped her back to her home on Roman Way.

"As a result of their concern they returned later in the day to search the house under the Misuse of Drugs Act," he said. "Among the people there was this defendant.

"No drugs were found on the premises but a package was found in a neighbouring garden which emanated from this defendant. As the police knocked on the front door he threw it out of a window."

When the contents of the package were analysed officers found 6.28 grams of white powder containing heroin and 1.61 grams of crack cocaine.

Mr Meeke said the street value of the heroin was more than £600.

He said that Matsimela had pleaded guilty on the basis he shared the drugs with named people and did not sell them. "When he was interviewed he said people had tried to get him to sell drugs commercially but he had refused to do so."

"He said the drugs recovered were paid for with his own money and from time to time he shared them. He said he was partial to crack cocaine from time to time."

Virginia Cornwall, defending, said he had no previous convictions and had been put under pressure to sell the drugs, but refused to.

She said he would, however, give some to his friends if he saw they were suffering the affects of withdrawal.

Passing a 100-hour community service order Judge Keith Cutler said "I know that you are a man of good character, you have never been in court before.

"Here you are now facing me for the first time having pleaded guilty to possessing class A drugs with intent to supply. This would normally be met with a significant custodial sentence. You have a conviction for it now. You must really think about your own lifestyle and future."