A SPOKESMAN for Chester's homeless community has been remanded in custody in connection with an alleged drugs offence.

Wayne Lammond, 34, appeared at Chester Magistrates Court on Monday, January 13.

He gave no indication of plea to the charge of possession with intent to supply the class B drug Spice, in relation to an alleged offence said to have happened near Clifton Drive in September 2019.

Both prosecutor Alan Currums and Lammond's defence solicitor John Farnan agreed the case was too serious to be dealt with by magistrates as the starting point for someone convicted of such an offence would be 12 months in custody.

Mr Farnan told the court Lammond was a "well-known member of the homeless community" and in recent months had stayed in a number of commercial properties.

An application for bail was made but rejected by magistrates.

Lammond, who had a few supporters in the public gallery, was remanded in custody and will appear at Chester Crown Court on February 10.

  • Separately, Lammond pleaded guilty to a theft offence which happened in McDonald's on Foregate Street, Chester on January 4, 2020.

Prosecuting, Mr Currums said the victim had gone to McDonald's with her family and placed her bag down by a table, before she and her family moved to a different table.

She had forgotten to take her bag – which contained about £100 in cash – with her, and later discovered it had been stolen.

CCTV footage showed Lammond had arrived at the table with his food and, when he left, took his rucksack and the victim's bag.

Defending, Mr Farnan said Lammond had pleaded guilty to what was an "opportunistic" theft.

Magistrates handed Lammond a four-week prison term and ordered him to pay £130 compensation to the victim.