A Hamilton Parish man was fined $1,000 yesterday after admitting to possessing drugs.

Paulo Luciano of Cottage Hill Road pleaded guilty to possession of the controlled drug cannabis in Magistrates' Court.

The court heard from Senior Crown counsel Paula Tyndale that Luciano was arrested on October 27 after officers received a report of a man who had passed out on the sidewalk of Front Street with his feet hanging in the road.

Officers arrested the 24-year-old on another matter and took him to the Hamilton Police Station. During a search of Luciano, officers found a plastic bag containing green, plant-like material which turned out to be 3.2 grams of the controlled drug cannabis.

He said: "It's mine. I smoke marijuana."

Luciano had a translator with him in Plea Court yesterday as he does not speak very much English. His translator told the court he said he didn't remember being passed out on the street, but that he apologised for his actions.

The defendant was fined $1,000.