Court told Maghera man was ‘sick as a dog’

The remark was made during a sitting of East Tyrone Magistrates Court in the case of Stephen Woods, 25, from Meetinghouse Avenue in Maghera.

Woods’ case, which relates to an incident at James Street in Cookstown on November 23 last year, was listed for sentencing on Friday.

However, after explaining that he had received a message from Woods’ legal representative, another lawyer told the court Woods had informed his own solicitor on Friday morning that he was “sick as a dog” due to a bout of food poisoning.

After enquiring after the dog’s health, District Judge, John Meehan, adjourned the case until August 1 and ruled that Woods must attend on the next occasion or a bench warrant would be issued.