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Man given chance by judge after drug offence caught again just three days later

District Judge tells him: 'To get off twice in a row is quite rare for me'

Craigavon-Courthouse

A Portadown man who had been given a chance after sentence was deferred for a drug offence was caught again just three days later.

Steven Ian Wilson, of Clonavon Avenue, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of a Class B drug at Craigavon Magistrates’ Court on Friday and was jailed for three months.

Court heard one of the charges related to a matter for which District Judge Bernie Kelly had deferred sentencing on September 15 of last year.

The other two occurred just three days following this, with the defendant being caught with small amounts of cannabis resin and herbal cannabis.

District Judge Kelly commented: “If ever there was proof that if you slacken off at all people will take your arm off.”

Defence barrister Conor Lunny stated that probation had provided a “fairly positive report”.

He said Wilson had taken “positive steps” and had stopped taking cannabis.

District Judge Kelly stated: “On September 15 last year you appeared before me with a pre-sentence report. I deferred sentencing to give you a chance to prove me wrong,

“Three days later you were caught again, you appeared before me in January and adjourned this matter again.”

Court heard that the defendant once more committed a similar offence in February of this year.

District Judge Kelly asked Wilson: “Do you see a pattern here?”

And she added: “To get off twice in a row is quite rare for me.”

Wilson was sentenced to three months in prison.

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