Police attend Boston town centre disturbance and find man carrying cocaine and laughing gas

Being found in possession of cocaine and laughing gas has cost a man £250.

Thomas Skelton, 32, was spotted carrying a nitrous oxide cannister when police attended an incident near to him in a town centre, a court was told.

“It was 4.55am on October 27 when police were called to a disturbance in Boston Market Place,” prosecutor Marie Stace told magistrates on Wednesday (November 20).

“The defendant was present, but not said to be involved in the disturbance.

“He was carrying a large bottle police believed to be nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas.

“He also handed over two bags containing white powder which he told the officer was cocaine and ketamine.”

Skelton, of Church Green Road, Fishtoft, told officers he had taken ‘four or five puffs’ of the laughing gas, which he said he didn’t know was illegal as he had bought if from the market, Ms Stace added.

Tests later showed both bags actually contained cocaine, a Class A drug.

Defending himself, Skelton - who is currently unable to work due to a shoulder injury - told Boston Magistrates’ Court he had ‘no problem with drugs’.

For possession of cocaine he was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

There was no separate penalty for possession of the laughing gas, a Class C drug.

Magistrates ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.