A GROUNDWORKER who threw away 10 bags of ketamine when he was approached by police has been ordered to pay more than £300 by a court.

Johnathan Michael Burne, 25, was spotted by officers shortly after 3am on March 30, as he leaned to his left and dropped a bag.

Amy Labram, prosecuting, said: "The offender was known to the officers and were able to track down and arrest him afterwards.

"He has attempted to dispose of the drugs over the wall when he has seen the officers.

"Ten bags of ketamine were found.

"Mr Burne has six pervious convictions for eight offences, some of which are like offences."

Officers found 8.26 grams of the class b drug ketamine.

Gail Heard, defending, said: "It is a guilty plea at the earliest opportunity.

"He did have a drug problem, he used to go out and take part in social drug use.

"The amount of drugs that he had he had bought them that evening. He had paid £160 for them and the only way he could get them for that amount was to buy them in bulk."

Miss Heard added that part of his job requires him to be drug tested, so he has since beaten his problem.

Burne, of Langwathby in Penrith, was fined £250, told to pay a £30 victim surcharge and was ordered to pay £85 in costs.