Judge Owen Davies QC said Michael Gove never went to prison for using cocaine (Picture: PA)

A judge has spared a cocaine user prison because Michael Gove wasn’t punished for taking the Class A drug.

Giedrius Arbaciauskas, 28, admitted possessing two grams of cocaine and was given a 12 month conditional discharge.

Conservative Party leadership contender Michael Gove may have unwittingly helped the 28-year-old Lithuanian avoid a maximum seven year jail term.

Mr Gove says he’s taken cocaine on ‘several occasions’ in the past (Picture: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Earlier this month the environment secretary admitted to taking cocaine ‘on several occasions’ as a young journalist and says he ‘deeply regrets’ it.

Referring to Mr Gove’s former role for the Ministry of Justice, Judge Owen Davies QC said: ‘He should suffer no more for dabbling in cocaine than should a former Lord Chancellor.’

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No further action will be taken against Arbaciauskas, from Aveley, Essex, as long as he keeps his nose clean, reports MailOnline.

After the sentencing his barrister, Tim Kiely tweeted: ‘Who says humour and justice don’t mix?’

Since revealing his past cocaine use Mr Gove has admitted he is ‘fortunate’ he didn’t go to prison.

The Tory leadership contender says he ‘deeply regrets’ using the class A drug (Picture: AFP/Getty)

He told the Andrew Marr Show: ‘I’ve seen the damage that drugs do. I’ve seen it close-up and I’ve also seen it in the work that I’ve done as a politician.

‘And that’s why I deeply regret the mistake that I made.’

Green Party MP Caroline Lucas wrote on Twitter: ‘Rank hypocrisy of minister admitting to ‘mistakes’ on drug use while backing policies that perpetuate harm.

‘From locking up disproportionate number of young, black men, to treating drug misuse as crime rather than health issue, prohibition fails us all.’