Knuckleduster was found in a BMW stopped by police in Lurgan, Craigavon court hears
Police found a knuckleduster in a BMW stopped by police in Lurgan, a court has heard.
Sean Joseph Dean, aged 41, from Lurgan Road, Crumlin appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court.
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He pleaded guilty to four charges, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, driving while disqualified, no insurance and a defective tyre.
Police spotted the BMW driving along High Street in Lurgan on October 28 last year. Checks showed the vehicle was insured to a female.
When police stopped the vehicle, the defendant identified himself and admitted to police he was a disqualified driver nor did he hold valid insurance.
"Whilst moving the steering wheel of the vehicle to check the condition of the front tyres police located a knuckleduster,” a prosecutor told the court, adding that one of the tyres was defective.
Dean’s barrister, Mr Conor Coulter, said full admissions were made at the scene.
"There’s clearly nothing plausible in terms of an explanation for either driving or the possession of the knuckleduster,” said Mr Coulter.
He said there is “an element of stability” in his client’s life albeit he has been on long term sick for two years from his employment. He said this coincided with a Probation Order imposed in 2023.
"There were some issues during that order, albeit it was completed successfully,” he said adding that Probation managed to secure a place for his client in Cuan Mhuire although Dean wasn’t able to secure a place twice due to medication issues and an administrative issue.
Mr Coulter described driving while disqualified as a “blatant disregard of a court order” and suggested something could be left hanging over his client’s head.
He pointed out that due to his client’s sickness status Probation considered him unsuitable for Community Service.
The barrister said his client’s recent record is “poor”, saying there had been a “deterioration in his mental health and stability since 2023”.
For driving while disqualified, no insurance and possessing an offensive weapon, Dean was given a four months jail term for each offence, to run concurrently and suspended for 18 months.
Dean is currently disqualified from driving until August 2027. For the no insurance and driving while disqualified offences he was given a driving ban of two-and-a-half years and a six-month ban for the defective tyre.