Lisburn man was arrested after body was found with drugs overdose suspected, court is told
A Lisburn judge has expressed her dismay at her limited powers after only being able sentence a Lisburn man to two months in prison on drugs charges.
Jamie Lawrie Spence, 36, whose address was given as Wardsborough Park in Lisburn, appeared before the city’s magistrates’ court charged with being concerned in the supply of a Class C drug, namely diazepam.
The court heard that on June 6, 2024, a body was found and as a result of searches carried out in relation to the death, believed to have been a drug overdose, calls and messages were found on a mobile phone between the deceased and the defendant relating to the sale of drugs.
The court was told that there were messages to the defendant on the deceased’s phone from the day he died relating to purchasing drugs.
The defendant was arrested and made no comment during interview.
Defence told the court that the defendant, who is currently serving a sentence in Maghaberry Prison, is due to be released on April 19, 2025.
He continued: “The death of this third party is a tragedy, however it cannot be attributed to Mr Spence in any way at this stage.
"There is only one previous charge of supplying drugs. I do accept he has a bad record for possession of drugs.
"He was a man with a serious heroin addiction in the past and he had put that behind him completely. He was beginning to work through abstinence of drugs when this offending occurred.”
District Judge Rosie Watters sentenced the defendant to two months in prison. However, she expressed her displeasure that, in her opinion, the sentence was inadequate.
Ms Watters said: "I think it is inadequate in relation to this type of offending but I am tied by the legislature.
“Drugs destroy lives and you should punish people involved in their supply.
"This man has 15 previous drugs convictions, mostly for possession of drugs. He has a terrible record. I think he should have been dealt with in the Crown Court.
"I am not happy. Every day of my working life I see people whose lives are ruined by drugs. People die taking those drugs. To minimise the dealing of drugs is really shocking.”