A juror on a rape trial who smoked a cannabis joint in his lunch hour was today fined £450 after admitting contempt of court.

Shezad Hussain, 26, smoked the drug at a bus stop just yards from the entrance to Bolton crown court, Greater Manchester.

But he was spotted by a juror on another case who alerted police. Hussain at first denied but then admitted the offence, blaming stress following a violent attack on his family-owned corner shop by "gangsters".

The father of one from Bolton had been one of 12 jurors on a week-long case of a man accused of raping a child.

Hussain was dismissed from the jury on Monday, charged with contempt of court and told to speak to a solicitor.