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A TEENAGER who helped plan the attack on Ridgeway schoolboy Henry Webster turned to drugs to ease his stress about the resulting trial, a court has heard.

Mahbub Ali, will be sentenced with his co-conspirators tomorrow, after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit actual bodily harm.

But he appeared at Swindon Magistrates' Court yesterday charged with possession of cannabis.

The 19-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge dating back to March 12, along with another charge of taking a car without consent and driving without insurance.

The offence took place while Ali was standing trial for his involvement in the attack on Henry Webster.

Speaking on behalf of Ali, Sambreen Arif said the teenager had been stressed over his involvement with the hammer attack trial.

"He was suffering with a lot of stress with this case going on but he admits his actions were stupid and wishes to apologise to the court," she said.

The court heard how the New College student and two friends were pulled over by police in Thamesdown Drive.

The car smelled strongly of cannabis and was searched. Police found £35 worth of herbal cannabis, which Ali admitted was his.

He had taken his father's car, a Nissan Primera, from their Broad Street home and had gone to pick up his friends before buying the drugs.

Miss Arif said Ali had been completely co-operative with police both at the time of the incident and when he was interviewed later.

"He comes from a very good family and works one day a week for a company called DHL to make some pocket money - £20 of which he gives to his parents as rent," said Miss Arif.

Ali will be sentenced along with Roubel Meah, Kamran Khan Aqduss Rauf and Bilal Yakub after the five were found guilty of conspiracy to commit actual bodily harm on January 11, 2007.

Thirteen people in all were convicted in connection with the attack, which saw Henry Webster repeatedly beaten with a hammer.

Attackers Wasif Khan, Amjad Qazi, and two former Ridgeway pupils who cannot be named for legal reasons will also be sentenced for the assault on Henry tomorrow.

Taking his impending sentence into consideration magistrates imposed a conditional discharge on the basis that Ali commits no further offences.

For taking his dad's car and driving without insurance he was given six penalty points on his licence.

Coupled with a previous driving conviction he has now been given a six-month ban and ordered to pay court costs at £60.

8:33am Thursday 8th May 2008

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