SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - A Yellowknife man was fined $460 on March 29 for possession of eight grams of marijuana that police found under the seat of his car after they pulled him over in Alberta last year.

The man, on his way home after a trip to Mexico, was driving a black Ford F-150 truck with tinted windows and tinted headlights, which attracted the attention of the RCMP. The police pulled him over along Highway 149 near Valleyview, Alta.

In court last week, the 32-year-old offender's lawyer, Hugh Latimer, initially questioned the amount of marijuana found in the vehicle, saying his client thought he might have smoked one of the grams, leaving only seven grams under the seat. However, after a brief conversation with his client, Latimer said it didn't matter and conceded to the eight grams.

Crown prosecutor Jill Andrews told the court that the police officer who approached the offender's vehicle noticed the driver looked "very nervous" and was shaking on Oct. 23, 2010.

The officer could also smell marijuana. The man was arrested and charged with possession of marijuana after the officer found the pot under driver's side seat.

The drug had an estimated street value of $160, said Andrews, who requested a fine in the range of $400-$600.

Latimer said the defence wasn't opposed to the Crown's fine recommendation.

Judge Robert Gorin noted that the accused, who pleaded guilty, was a relatively young man with only one prior conviction for an unrelated, dated and minor offence.

Before being sentenced, the man spoke briefly and said he was "sorry for wasting the court's time."

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