A FELINFACH man who uses cannabis to help with severe back pain realises he was breaking the law but didn’t want to use opiate-based painkillers.

Matthew Harry Wilkin, of Brynog Lodge, admitted possession of 0.29g of cannabis found by police while searching his home on 27 January.

Prosecutor Helen Tench said police searched 28-year-old Wilkin’s home at around 7.15pm after receiving information that he was in possession of drugs.

Wilkin admitted to officers that he had cannabis and produced a grinder, containing traces of the drug, and a joint.

He said he uses cannabis to help with pain relief and told police that his doctor and specialist had advised him to use the drug.

Defence solicitor Alison Mathias said Wilkin suffered with four prolapsed discs in his back which cause him significant pain but that, after he had developed a problem with prescription painkillers, he had chosen to use cannabis instead. She added that it was a small amount of the drug and that Wilkin could have been cautioned by police.

He was given a conditional discharge for 12 months, but will pay costs of £105.