A Camlough man with a “dreadful record” who was caught with cannabis after crashing his mother’s car has been handed an enhanced combination order.
Darren Jamie McCabe, of Ashmore Hill, was sentenced to 12 months probation and 80 hours of community service at Armagh Magistrates’ Court, sitting at Newry Courthouse.
The 33-year-old was also banned from driving for two years.
He appeared in court for sentencing on charges of possession of a Class B drug, taking a motor vehicle without authority, driving while disqualified and using a vehicle without insurance.
The court heard that on Saturday, November 18 last year, police had received a third party report that the defendant had taken his mother’s vehicle without permission.
The PSNI liaised with the Gardai, learning that the vehicle had been involved in a single-vehicle collision.
The Gardai indicated there was blood in the vehicle and informed police that the defendant had attended hospital in Dundalk but had left on the Sunday morning.
Police attended the injured party’s address to record a statement of complaint. Whilst they were there, the defendant arrived and was arrested.
He was searched and police located three buds of suspected herbal cannabis in his coat pocket. He was then taken to hospital due to pain.
District Judge Anne Marshall commented: “This man, first of all, has a dreadful record and, secondly, was disqualified by Newry Court on the 11th of September 2023.”
A defence lawyer responded that the judge had “correctly identified” the aggravating features of the case and said his client was aware he had reached the custody threshold.
In McCabe’s defence he said: “There has been an ongoing cycle of misuse of drugs and, if Your Worship were to distil that record, you will see that apart from some peripheral disorderly behaviours, most of it relates to drug taking and theft to accommodate his drug taking.
“The events that occurred in this occasion were completely inexcusable. He took his mother’s car without her consent and drove it and caused the situation to arise.”
He added: “His domestic circumstances are as settled as they can be. He lives with his mother, they are reconciled and he has lived there without controversy since he did all of this…”
Follow all the latest court news here.
