Co Tyrone man found with cannabis in his jacket pocket fined £200 at Dungannon Court
A Cookstown man found with a small quantity of cannabis in his jacket pocket, was fined £200 at Dungannon Magistrates Court on Friday.
Christopher Patrick Cotton, aged 32, from Killymoon Crescent in the town, admitted possessing the Class B drug on April 11 this year.
The court was told police were on mobile patrol in the Cookstown area when they stopped a car at Stewart Avenue and had reason to carry out a search under the misuse of drugs act.
Prosecuting counsel said the drug was located in his jacket pocket and it was seized.
Meanwhile, Cotton was fined a further £400 and handed eight penalty points, resulting after a top up of points in a six-month disqualification, for driving without insurance and having no driving licence.
Counsel said the defendant’s vehicle was stopped by a mobile patrol outside a shop at Church Street, Cookstown, on April 27 last, and checks showed the defendant had no licence and there was no insurance recorded against the vehicle.
He added that Cotton made full admissions to the offences.
A defence lawyer stressed the defendant had cooperated fully with the police in relation to the drug matter.
He explained the defendant had “foolishly decided” to drive the car on this occasion to check out the clutch which had been playing up.
"The vehicle was seized by the police and he does not have access to it,” he added.
District Judge Barney McElholm made a destruction order in respect of the cannabis. He allowed Cotton 26 weeks to pay the fines.