A man was charged and prosecuted at a cost of £5,000 to the taxpayer - over the possession of cannabis worth less than £2 . Martin Kewley was ordered to appear in court after police found a minuscule amount of the drug in a drawer by his bedside . Rather than caution the builder , of Onchan , Isle of Man , over the cannabis - worth £1.59 - officers and prosecutors decided to take the case to Douglas Magistrates ' Court . Questionable decision : A man was charged and prosecuted at a cost of £5,000 to the taxpayer - over the possession of cannabis resin worth less than £2 ( file picture ) The builder was given six months ' probation after pleading guilty to possession . His advocate , Jim Travers , told the court his client was in difficult circumstances . The Isle of Man 's legal authorities , who run their own jurisdiction , defended the decision , The Sun reports . But drugs charity Release slammed itas 'ludicrous ' , criticising the amount spent to bring Kewley to justice . Martin Kewley was ordered to go before a court after police found a minuscule amount of cannabis in his bedside drawer .
Sun , of Isle of Man , was sent to court for possession of the drug . Police found minuscule amount of cannabis worth £1.59 in bedside drawer . Rather than caution builder legal authorities opted for costly prosecution .