A Northumberland party-goer was caught with 15 bags of cocaine as he tried to enter a house music event in Newcastle.
Lewis Ormston was queueing up outside the NX in the city centre on the night the Monta Musica event was being held and was about to enter the venue when door staff pulled him to one side. After a search, the 23-year-old was found in possession of 15 bags of cocaine, which he claimed was ketamine.
Ormston was then arrested and taken into custody before the bags of powder were analysed. All of the bags were found to contain the class A drug, cocaine.
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On Wednesday, Ormston, of Collingwood Close, Nelson Village, Cramlington, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates' Court. He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and told magistrates he was a recovering addict.
The court heard that Ormston was queuing up outside the NX on Westgate Road on July 6 this year when he was stopped by a bouncer. Stephen Davies, prosecuting, said: "He was going into the NX when he was stopped by one member of door staff and searched. 15 bags of white powder were found and the police were called.
"He was arrested and taken into custody where the bags were analysed and found to contain cocaine." The court was told that Ormston had two previous cautions, one of which was for being drunk and disorderly.
Peter Doherty, defending, said: "He says [the powder] was not cocaine but ketamine. [However], there were traces of cocaine in it. It was all for personal use and he was going to some sort of festival. It was all for his personal use for the night."
Addressing the magistrates, Ormston maintained that he believed the bags contained ketamine and that he was a "recovering addict". He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 surcharge.
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