A MAN crashed his car and fled from police officers as they followed him home.

Jay Clasper, 18, was being followed by police as he was driving to his home on Lower Woodside Road, Wootton, on August 28 last year.

Clasper pleaded guilty to two counts of the possession of cannabis when he appeared at the Isle of Wight Magistrates Court on March 13.

Vivian Ducie, prosecuting, said: "The police had begun to follow Mr Clasper as a result of some intelligence they had received that he was in possession of cannabis.

"When he spotted the police he made to drive away and ended up crashing his car before running away across a field.

"He was hurt in the crash so he was taken to St Mary's Hospital where he was treated. Later police searched his address."

Mr Ducie said initially police found 22 grams in the car and later 58 grams in his home.

He had insisted in interview that he intended the cannabis only for his personal use.

For Clasper, Barry Arnett, said: "They took his mobile phone from him, and they searched his home and they found absolutely nothing to suggest Mr Clasper had any intention other than using the cannabis himself."

The magistrates ordered Clasper to pay a fine of £120.

He was also ordered to pay court costs of £85 and a surcharge of £32.