A Lithuanian national caught in Lurgan with cannabis and stalks of cannabis plants in bags in a van told police it was his intention to “throw it out”.
Skirmantas Ickauskas (46), of ‘address unknown’, admitted possessing cannabis on February 24 this year.
He also pleaded guilty to breaching a Deportation Order.
On Friday, he appeared at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court via video link from prison.
The court was told the defendant had been issued with a Deportation Order in 2020 because of his “criminal record” in the UK and he had been deported to Lithuania in March that year.
A prosecutor said at 9pm on February 24 this year police in Lurgan saw a parked van and the defendant was standing beside it. There was a strong smell of cannabis.
A search of the van revealed “numerous large bin bags filled with cannabis plant stalks and herbal cannabis”.
When interviewed the defendant admitted possessing cannabis but said his intention was to “throw it out”.
The majority of the contents of the bags were cannabis plant stalks and “waste”. Thirty grammes of cannabis was seized.
A defence lawyer said the defendant thought the Deportation Order had lapsed.
The lawyer said the defendant was not charged with intent to supply but that the drugs were for personal use as Ickauskas was “using cannabis very heavily”.
He said the defendant had been working in Dublin and due to “property prices” he had been “living in Newry”.
The defendant was given a four months prison term.
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