A DRUG user who flung his drugs away as he fled police used crack cocaine as a crutch following the death of his mother.

Stephen Rufini, aged 52, of Broad Street, Worcester, admitted possession of crack cocaine (a class A drug) when he appeared before magistrates in Worcester on Friday.

Adrian Jones, prosecuting, said a plain clothes detective spotted Rufini leaving an address in Barbourne Road, Worcester, at around 1pm on April 26.

Rufini was observed by the officer entering the back of a car parked nearby.

Mr Jones said: "Officers believed he was taking part in some form of drugs transaction at the time and they made a decision to stop him.

"They detained him for a drugs search but he managed to wriggle free and ran towards Brewery Walk."

Officers identified themselves as police but Rufini continued to run away and discarded something into a garden before he was detained a short distance away.

Mr Jones said: "The drugs are subsequently found to be class a A drug - crack cocaine - and are recovered from where he had thrown them."

Rufini told police he spent his employment support allowance on drugs.

Mr Jones said: "He said it was crack cocaine and he discarded it as he did not want to get caught with it."

Blaise Shervington, defending, said Rufini had entered an early guilty plea and made frank admissions in interview.

Despite Rufini's drug habit Mr Shervington said his client had only one recent conviction for drugs which dated back to 1997.

Mr Shervington said: "Where possible he's done his best to to use the prescription provided by the doctor and drugs services to try and control the habit.

"In January he lost his mother quite unexpectedly. She went into hospital. Three days later she passed away.

"There followed a period where he had to deal with the coroner's court and funeral directors.

"He reached for the thing that could give him support which was drugs. He's now back on track. He is due to have bereavement counselling shortly."

Police seized about £5 worth of crack cocaine.

Magistrates fined him £65, ordered him to pay a contribution towards costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £30.