Man's 183 Viagra pills were ecstasy

icWales.co.uk

DISABLED Kenneth Tuck hoped Viagra would spice up his love life when he shelled out more than £500 for nearly 200 heart-shaped tablets.

But instead, the 61-year-old ended up in jail - because the pills turned out to be ecstasy.

The amorous Welshman will now spend Valentine's Day behind bars after a judge at Caernarfon Crown Court sentenced him to eight months in prison.

Tuck, of Pentraeth, Old Colwyn, pleaded guilty to possessing 183 ecstasy tablets and a smaller amount of amphetamine.

He escaped a stiffer sentence because prosecutors accepted his story that the mix-up had been a genuine mistake.

The drugs - which had a street value of £549 - had been discovered at his home last March, only weeks after he'd been released from prison on other drug offences, which included supplying ecstasy.

He had been seen buying the drugs by a photographer at an event in Llandudno last year.

Defence solicitor Rhys Rowlands told the court that his client began using drugs four years ago and in the 11 months since his arrest he had been completely free of them.

"He thought they were Viagra and didn't realise they were ecstasy," said Mr Rowlands, blaming the gaffe on the fact they'd been cut in individual heart-shapes in time for Valentine's Day 2005.

But instead of destroying the tablets when he realised what they actually were, Tuck had "succumbed to temptation and used them", Mr Rowlands added.

Imposing sentence Judge Merfyn Hughes said his previous drug-related convictions dictated the seriousness of the case.

"It is this matter which requires me to send you to prison," he added.