An Armagh man has been handed a suspended sentence after he was caught with £100 worth of cocaine in his back pocket.
The 35-year-old was discovered to be in possession of the substance after the car he was driving was flagged as being uninsured.
Conall Eamon Duffy, of Drumsill Park, pleaded guilty to possession of a Class A drug, two counts of using a motor vehicle without insurance, no driving licence and fraudulent use of a vehicle registration plate at the city’s Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.
These offences were accrued by the defendant over two separate dates.
It was heard that at around 1am on January 17, 2017, police spoke to the Duffy who was the driver of a Vauxhall vehicle on Mullinure Lane, Armagh.
The defendant informed them that the vehicle was not insured and that he did not hold a valid licence.
He also said that he had fitted the car with the licence plate of another vehicle which did have insurance to avoid detection.
On May 24, 2018, Duffy was observed driving a BMW on Austin Drive, Tandragee, which was flagged as being uninsured.
Police spoke to the defendant and observed him trying to conceal something in the waistband of his jeans.
A search was conducted during which £100 of cocaine was found in Duffy’s back pocket.
When interviewed, the defendant made full admissions and acknowledged the substance was cocaine.
Defence solicitor John McAtamney stated: “In terms of the first incident, this was his own vehicle. He had the money to buy it but not to insure it.
“He obtained the plates from the internet and made full admissions.”
He continued: “He had a limited record for driving offences and none for no insurance at the time.
“The second, the drugs, were for his own personal use and he made full admissions at the roadside.”
Duffy was sentenced to one month in prison suspended for 12 months and disqualified from driving for six months.
In addition, he was ordered to pay a fine of £700, along with the offender’s levy of £15.
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