A 59-YEAR-old Ammanford man marked the start of his birthday celebrations by being arrested when a police raid on his home unearthed 40 grammes of cannabis.

Terence Gerald Corcoran, who lives in a caravan at the Old Machine Works on Shands Road, was visited by officers on the morning of April 16 - his 59th birthday.

Ammanford magistrates were told that during the swoop, officers discovered a jar containing herbal cannabis and a further quantity of the drug hidden inside an oven.

In interview, Corcoran admitted the drugs were for his own use but refused to reveal where he had bought them.

He told officers that he would not normally have owned such a large quantity, but that he had bought extra for his birthday.

He also told officers he was extremely knowledgeable about the drug.

"I do know a lot about it having been to Amsterdam 17 times," said Corcoran.

Arwel Davies, defending, described Corcoran as "a recreational user of cannabis".

"He only uses it at his own home when alone," said Mr Davies.

He described how Corcoran had been beset by a series of personal problems in the past year, including a divorce and the loss of his home.

"This all led to a significant bout of depression," Mr Davies told the court.

Magistrates accepted Mr Davies claimed that Corcoran continued to work and make a valuable contribution to society.

"We are going to be a bit lenient today," magistrates told Corcoran, "but you cannot go on doing this because if you do you will end up in prison."

Corcoran was fined £145 and ordered to pay £85 court costs and a further £15 legal surcharge.