A BEREAVED Aberystwyth man has stopped taking drugs after using the loss of a family member to change his life, his solicitor has said.

Anthony James Fox, of 7 Bath Street, pleaded guilty to possession of 0.3grammes of heroin found by police after he had been arrested for an unrelated incident.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said following Fox’s arrest he was taken to the custody unit at Aberystwyth police station. After he emptied his pockets police found a wrap containing 0.3 grammes of heroin on the floor.

Fox initially denied any knowledge of the wrap and insisted it was not his, but Ms Tench said his guilty plea showed now that the drug had been his.

Defence solicitor Alan Lewis said that since the offence on 27 January, Fox had suffered a family bereavement which had led to him taking stock of his life.

He said Fox had stopped taking drugs and had decided that he wanted to stay off drugs following his loss and a family bereavement suffered by his partner.

Fox was fined £120 and will pay costs of £105.