A 17-year-old girl who was taken advantage of by a friend who asked to keep 11 cannabis joints for safe keeping has been fined €58 and given a reprimand.

The girl, who cannot be named because she is a minor, was caught at a party on May 1 carrying a cigarette packet containing 11 joints.

In a statement to the police, she said that four days before the incident she had met a friend, whom she liked romantically. He asked her to keep the joints for safekeeping. He feared he might get caught and also asked her to pay him €40 to ensure the joints were given back.

She refused to pay him and he threatened her to make sure she did not give them to anyone or speak about him.

She told police that she had never taken drugs before and had gone to the party with the intention of throwing them away there since she did not want to keep them at home and could not do so before because her step father had driven her to the party.

In her judgment, Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, said that it was clear to the court after observing her during proceedings that, her tender age, naivety, and perhaps her liking of the third party who supplied her with the drugs, led to her being taken advantage of.

It was also clear that she was in full knowledge that she was in possession of an illicit substance yet she had no idea of the risk she was taken by carrying the drugs for a third party and while ignorance of the law is no excuse it may be taken into consideration.

She found her guilty of possession of the drugs in circumstances which denoted it was not for exclusive use and fined her €58.

Lawyers Michael and Lucio Sciriha appeared for the girl.