A Devonshire man pleaded guilty to possession of drugs in Magistrates’ Court yesterday.Tyrone Sampson, 28, of Alexandra Road, pleaded guilty to cannabis possession in an increased penalty zone.Prosecutor Tawana Tannock told the court that at 12.15pm on April 4, while police were patrolling they spotted the defendant outside a residence on Saint Mary’s Road, Warwick, within 100 metres of Purvis Primary School.The officers saw that the defendant looked nervous and was fidgeting with his pockets. They also noted the scent of marijuana emanating off of the defendant. As a result, the police informed Sampson that they were going to search him under the misuse of drugs act. It was at that point that Sampson threw out a clear bag from his pocket, which contained six smaller bags of a plantlike material. Sampson was then arrested upon suspicion of possession of a controlled drug.Later, in a videotaped interview with the police, the defendant admitted that the substance was marijuana and that it was for personal use for his birthday.The plantlike material was subsequently tested and was confirmed to be cannabis, weighing 2.46 grams.Sampson addressed the court, telling Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner that at the time of the arrest he was “homeless, stressed out and had no job.” The defendant said that his life has changed since the arrest, and requested to be put in a drug rehabilitation program.“I don’t want to live like this anymore,” said Sampson. “I have a job, a place to stay — I don’t want to live like this anymore.”Mr Warner fined Sampson $1,000 for the possession of drugs, plus an additional $1,000 for the increased penalty zone.Sampson, a laundry attendant, was also fined $1,000 in 2006 for possession of drugs.