A DRUG user told police he wanted access to his closed-off home because there was cannabis inside, Jedburgh Sheriff Court has been told.

When police searched the property in Beattie Court in Hawick they recovered 68 grammes of cannabis with a value of £680.

The court heard that the flat had been sealed off on June 28 by police investigating the sudden death of Ronnie Brown's son.

Procurator fiscal Graham Fraser said:"The police had gone round to see the accused to update him.  The property he lived in was closed off due to the sudden death.

"He was not let into the house because police were investigating but he said he wanted to because there were drugs in the house."

Mr Fraser said the amount of drugs recovered was ran past the STOP unit to see if he should face a supply charge.

But Brown pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of cannabis.

Defence lawyer Ed Hulme said his client's statement to the police about drugs being in the house summed up his emotional state of mind at the time.

Brown, 24, was given a community pay back order with 40 hours unpaid work to be carried out over three months.