A man who was caught entering Craigavon Courthouse with cannabis has been handed a conditional discharge following a period of deferment.
The 27-year-old’s solcitor stated: “He is a man who has very much turned his life around in the last year and a half.”
Simon Sloan, of Whitla Road, Lisburn, appeared for sentencing on possession of Class B at Craigavon Magistrates’, sitting at Lisburn, via videolink from his solicitor’s office.
Prosecution outlined that on December 17, 2018, security staff at Craigavon Courthouse were suspicious after smelling cannabis coming from the defendant as he entered.
When informed that a search would be conducted, Sloan handed over to security staff a Samsung mobile phone box containing herbal cannabis and a grinder.
The defendant made full admissions to the offence before the court at the scene.
Defence solicitor John Gibbons stated: “This matter was deferred a year. It has now with the current situation been 18 months and this was the last in a series of offences.
“He comes before the court with a very positive report, perhaps the most positive I have ever seen. He has got into full time employment and is doing very well.”
He continued: “He is about to finish his probation order. He is in the midst of a community service order and there has been no new offending since that offending in 2018.
“He is a man who has very much turned his life around in the last year and a half.”
Giving the defendant a conditional discharge for two years, Deputy District Judge Alan White commented: “He is already subject to a community sentence and there is a suspended sentence. Those are set in place.”
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