A man caught with cannabis on December 19 claimed he was given the drug for a Christmas present.

Andrew Moniz, 34, was driving a car along South Road in Southampton at 12.30 a.m. when he was halted at a Police stop-and-search checkpoint.

According to prosecutor Carrington Mahoney, Moniz was detained for a search, and a twist of cannabis weighing 5.76 grams was found in his pants pocket.

"Weed is not a drug," protested Moniz, from Southampton, as he was arrested and taken to Hamilton Police Station.

He pleaded guilty at Magistrates' Court to drug possession, but told Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner: "Sorry, it was a Christmas present from somebody else.

"Someone thought it would be nice to give it to me so I accepted it and I was on my way home from work."

Mr. Warner replied: "Well Government is going to accept from you a $1,000 fine."

Moniz said he has a newborn baby and asked for time to pay. Mr. Warner told him he has until June 11, with a three month jail sentence if he doesn't pay.