Craigavon man, who was 'stabbed in the back of the head', pleads guilty to cocaine possession via barrister
A Craigavon man failed to appear at court on a charge of cocaine possession as he had been ‘stabbed in the back of the head’ the night before, the district judge was told.
Rian John O’Connor, aged 28, from Willowfield Crescent, did not appear at Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday to face the charge of cocaine possession on May 24 last year.
-
-
O’Connor’s barrister Mr Damien Halleron, said: “The drugs were not planted on him it now seems.”
District Judge Michael Ranaghan, referring to a previous hearing, said: “My question was, was he saying that it was the ambulance personnel, the police or someone else who had planted it. But now he is accepting they’re his?”
Mr Halleron nodded that his client accepted culpability.
District Judge Ranaghan said that affected O’Connor’s credit in court: “In one way he gets some and in another he loses some.”
Mr Halleron said: “The position is now that he was the victim of a very serious assault last night. That’s why he’s not here today. He is not fit to come to court today.
"I am asking for a short adjournment to allow him to get here,” said Mr Halleron.
District Judge Ranaghan asked: “Do you know the nature of the injuries he says he has sustained.”
"He was stabbed in the back of the head,” said Mr Halleron. “Some of the alleged assailants may well be before the court soon.”
The barrister said O’Connor was taken to hospital and discharged.
"He’s mobile then,” said the district judge. “Let’s get him here on March 7 and we will try and dispose of the matter then.”