Dungannon: man was found with cannabis in the boot of car
Police noticed a strong smell of cannabis on speaking to the driver of a car which was earlier spotted travellling at speed and with no headlights displayed at the A4 at Dungannon, the local magistrates court was told.
Baltasar Freistas, aged 40, from Windmill Drive in the town, was given a five-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, for supplying a class B drug, possessing the drug and having it with intent to supply.
Prosecuting counsel said the defendant was accompanied by another male and two young females in the rear of the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle uncovered a grinder and cannabis in the footwell of the car and another 500 grams of the drug was found in the boot.
The lawyer said no one would take responsibility for ownership of the drugs and a 17-year-old female was arrested.
Later the defendant admitted making and selling it to fund his addiction.
The court heard there was no pre-sentence report before the court as Freistas had not attended appointments with the Probation Service.
A defence lawyer said the defendant had not attended appointments with Probation because he had not received a letter from them.
Passing sentence, District Judge Francis Rafferty told Freistas he did not believe for one minute that he hadn't received a letter from Probation.
Mr Rafferty said he was suspending the custodial sentence in light of the defendant's "limited record”.
The judge also made a destruction order in respect of the cannabis seized by the police.