Court hears Co Antrim man said he was using 15 Diazepam tablets a day
A court was told an Antrim man said he took 15 Diazepam tablets a day.
Details were given to Ballymena Magistrates Court on Thursday (July 9) where the 31-year-old had a Combination Order revoked and replaced with a Probation period being extended for a further six months.
The defendant had only completed seven of 75 hours of Community Service he had been given in January this year for being in possession of 200 Diazepam tablets - which are illegal without a prescription - and two grammes of cannabis.
He had been searched by police at Donegore Drive, Antrim, on October 16 last year.
The defendant, Robert Owens, of Donegore Drive, had a record.
At the earlier court a defence solicitor said the defendant was taking non-prescribed Diazepam "to try and abate issues he had with withdrawal from cocaine and alcohol".
At Thursday's court it was said Owens had said he was struggling to do Community Service with the "Saturday Squad" because he had "emotional and physical health issues".
Judge Broderick asked: "Is he the man who said he takes 15 Diazepam tablets every day? Is he still doing that?"
A defence solicitor said the defendant "still has a difficulty with consumption".
Judge Broderick said "surely that is not prescribed by a medical professional" and the solicitor said it wasn't.
Also in January, as part of a Combination Order Owens had also been put on Probation for a year.
At Thursday's court the defence solicitor said it appeared the defendant was having "great success" with the Probation element.
The judge has now revoked the Combination Order and extended the Probation Order for six months.