A man stopped by police after they caught a whiff of cannabis coming from a van he was travelling in has pleaded guilty to possessing the class B drug.

Charles Quilligan, 32, of Lymington Road, Dagenham, wasted no time in owning up to smoking the banned substance when police confronted him on September 23.

Prosecutor Paul Nagle, told Barkingside magistrates on Thursday: “He was a passenger in a van that was stopped by the police because a smell of cannabis was coming from the vehicle.

“Officers asked who was smoking it and he said it was him. He didn’t waste any of the officers time.”

Representing himself, Quilligan told the court: “I’m sure it won’t happen again. I’m very sure about it.”

He was ordered to pay a fine of £75 and court costs, including a victim surcharge of £105 pushing the total to £180. The drugs had already been handed over and destroyed at an earlier date.

Chairman of the bench, Paul Wilson, said: “Because you’ve pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity we’ve given you credit and your fine will be £75.”

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