Caught with four fake £10 notes

When he was found with four fake £10 notes a 20-year-old man told police he had taken them from his granny, Craigavon Magistrates Court heard last Friday.

But the court was also told his mother later contacted police to say she had left the notes in the house while she was visiting her mother.

Patrick Pearse Mongan, Portland Manor, Lurgan, was fined £200 for possession of counterfeit £10 notes on July 22 last year.

He was also ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy.

The court heard that at police patrol at Rushmere at 4.05pm saw the defendant driving a car and on seeing police he turned left.

Police stopped him and a search uncovered four counterfeit £10 Ulster Bank notes.

Three of them had the same serial numbers.

Mongan said he had the notes because he had taken them off his granny.

Later his mother contacted police to say she had been visiting her mother and left them on a workplace.

A solicitor representing the defendant said Mongan realised now how stupid it was for him to have the notes.

District Judge Peter King noted that the defendant was not passing the notes and it was a simple possession offence.