A WINCHESTER man has been spared prison after being caught with heroin which breached his suspended sentence, a court has heard.

Mark Kinnaird-Smith, of Parchment Street, was caught near Winnall on April 21 by officers after acting suspiciously and found to have two wraps with a street value of between £40-£100.

The 55-year-old pleaded guilty to possession of a controlled drug. His conviction meant he was in breach of a suspended sentence.

The court was told he had a “lifelong addiction” and had drug-related convictions dating back to the early eighties.

Judge Susan Evans QC said: “You’re a man with a life-long addiction but, as you knew, this was going to put you in breach of your suspended sentence relating to a drug issue.

“I’m prepared to give you this chance but this suspended sentence will continue and there’s going to come a point when the court will go ahead with it. Make sure you don’t breach this again.”

Kennaird-Smith was ordered to pay £300 in court fees and carry out 40 hours of community unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay the victim surcharge and the costs of destroying the drugs he was caught with.