District Judge tells Draperstown roofer to seek help from his GP and other health professionals
A 37-year-old Draperstown roofer who was self-medicating on cannabis as his ADHD medication wasn’t helping him, was fined £250 at Magherafelt Magistrates Court on Wednesday.
Imposing the fine, District Judge Conor Heaney told the defendant to seek help from his GP and other health professionals and not to dabble in illegal drugs as the courts will have to deal with him.
Jamie Michael Reynolds, of Scutchers Lane, was also ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy when he admitted a charge of unlawfully having in his possession a Class B drug cannabis on March 5 last.
Prosecuting counsel said police carried out a search of an address in Draperstown under the the Misuse of Drugs Act and seized 16 grams of cannabis.
He said Reynolds, who was an occupant at the address, admitted to police the cannabis was his and he used it to help with his ADHD, but he intended to go to his GP to try and get a prescription.
Defence solicitor Stephen Atherton told the court Reynolds had a previous conviction for a similar matter in 2018, but has “turned his life around” since then.
Mr Atherton said the defendant had a partner and five children for which he had caring responsibilities.
He stressed he is a busy man working as a roofer but the one cloud was his ADHD which has been hanging over him a long time.
The solicitor said the defendant felt the drug from his GP was not working as intended and he had self-medicated.
The judge made an order for the destruction of the cannabis.