Man caught with illegal drugs after being spotted with the tablets outside Wearside police station

Kevin Ramshaw, 42, drew the attention of a sergeant who clocked him through a window at Washington police station on Sunday, November 24.

The police chief despatched a PC to speak to Ramshaw, of Lowes Crescent, Burnmoor, Co Durham, and a bag containing 25 tablets were found on him.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard Ramshaw admitted the tablets were diazepam, a banned Class C drug – and he was charged with possession, to which he pleaded guilty.

Prosecutor Laura Lax told the court: “Sergeant McLennan was on duty at Washington police station when his attention was drawn to Mr Ramshaw who was outside the building.

“An officer went outside, and 25 blue-coloured tablets were found in Mr Ramshaw’s possession.

“He said that he found them on the floor. In interview, he said that they were diazepam.”

Ms Lax added that Ramshaw had 27 convictions from 55 offences, eight of which were drug-related.

Chris Wilson, defending, said: “On the day in question, he’d been visiting the Galleries area.

“He had taken some of the tablets but unfortunately they’d had an adverse effect in him. He was arrested.

“For many, many years he was prescribed the drug by his GP. He got them from somewhere else.”

Magistrates fined Ramshaw £40 and ordered him to pay £85 court costs and a £32 victim surcharge. They also ordered the drugs be destroyed