Drug habit dad jailed

Clayton Tuck, 49, appeared at Hastings Magistrates Court on Tuesday and admitted two charges of possessing cannabis, driving while banned, driving without insurance and failing to surrender to Hastings Police Station as part of his bail conditions.

He had been stopped on April 6 in a Suzuki Vitara on the A21 in Hurst Green.

Tuck was disqualified from driving at the time and so had no insurance.

When police searched his car they found two bags of cannabis.

As part of his bail, he was due at Hastings Police Station on May 5, but had returned to India where he now lives.

Tuck flew back to England on Monday, was promptly arrested, and when officers searched him they found five small wraps of cannabis in his shoe.

Representing himself, Tuck, a conservationist and hotelier, said he moved to India last year when disqualified from driving and did not realise he had received a second ban since he had been away. He had asked his solicitor to rearrange his bail conditions, he told the court.

"I swear on my children's life I was coming back here in the next few days to sort this out," he said.

"I did not want to be arrested like that, I had friends on that flight and suddenly I looked like some kind of terrorist.

"I have been a pot smoker all my life - I smoke so I do not dream, so I do not have a subconscious nightmare. I like a light, clean hashish but that is impossible to find in this country where everyone smokes hard Moroccan stuff, so I had to bring my own."

"I have got a good life in India and am terribly sorry if I wasted anyone's time," he added.

Tuck was banned from driving for two years, fined 600, and ordered to pay 85 costs and a 15 victim surcharge. He was jailed for 28 days, or until he pays the fine.