A man has been fined £550 after being found with cannabis after police stopped him for a defective light.
The 23-year-old, who represented himself, also claimed that he did have a licence but was unable to produce it as it was in his native country.
Isus Rachev, 23, of Pomeroy Road, Portadown pleaded guilty to using a vehicle without insurance, driving without a licence and possession of a Class B drug at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.
Court heard that on January 5, police spotted the defendant driving an Opel Zafira on the Armagh Road, Portadown.
Officers stopped the car after they noticed that it had a defective light.
Rachev was asked to produce his licence and insurance.
He provided police with an insurance policy but this did not cover him to drive the vehicle in the United Kingdom.
The defendant told officers that he had an Italian driving licence but claimed that this was at his home address.
Police escorted Rachev to his home. Once here the defendant claimed the licence was, in fact, in his native Bulgaria.
Rachev was arrested and taken to Lurgan Custody Suite.
Once there the defendant was searched. It was revealed that during this cannabis resin was found in a cigarette box which Rachev had on his person.
The defendant made no comment in his defence at court on Wednesday.
Rachev was disqualified from driving for six months and ordered to pay a fine of £550, along with the offender’s levy of £15, within 16 weeks.
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