A man was charged and prosecuted at a cost of £5,000 to the taxpayer - over the possession of cannabis worth less than £2.

Martin Kewley was ordered to appear in court after police found a minuscule amount of the drug in a drawer by his bedside.

Rather than caution the builder, of Onchan, Isle of Man, over the cannabis - worth £1.59 - officers and prosecutors decided to take the case to Douglas Magistrates' Court.

Questionable decision: A man was charged and prosecuted at a cost of £5,000 to the taxpayer - over the possession of cannabis resin worth less than £2 (file picture)

The builder was given six months' probation after pleading guilty to possession.

His advocate, Jim Travers, told the court his client was in difficult circumstances.

The Isle of Man's legal authorities, who run their own jurisdiction, defended the decision, The Sun reports.

But drugs charity Release slammed itas 'ludicrous', criticising the amount spent to bring Kewley to justice.