Bolton juror caught smoking cannabis during lunch break of rape trial fined £450

By Dean Wilkins

A cannabis smoker who was on the jury of Bolton rape trial is being fined £450 after sparking a joint during his lunch.

Shezad Hussain, 26, smoked a joint on his lunch hour of the trial near to the entrance of Bolton Crown Court.

Another juror noticed Hussain and alerted police having picked up the butt of the joint, and after denying the offence he later confessed to smoking marijuana.

The father-of-one of Hamel Street was part of the jury on a week-long trial of man accused of raping a child.

Hussain blamed stress caused from a violent attack on his family-owned shop for smoking the drug.

The judge adjourned the trial while investigations and legal discussions took place and Hussain was dismissed from the jury on Monday.

He appeared before the same judge at Manchester Crown Court where he was fined £450.

The original case was unable to reach a verdict and retrial was ordered.

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