Man selling illegal fireworks hoped to put profit towards his wedding, court hears
A Portglenone man caught selling fireworks illegally was hoping to make a profit to put towards his wedding, a court was told.
Martin Joseph Duggan, aged 30, from Eden Road, was given a Conditional Discharge for 12 months on charges relating to possessing prohibited fireworks and selling them without a licence on October 28 last year.
Magherafelt Magistrates Court was told that police were on patrol in the Gulladuff area when they followed a ‘fireworks for sale’ sign which led them to a yard where they were met at the top of a laneway by the defendant.
Prosecuting counsel said police asked Duggan if he had a licence for the fireworks which were in a container and he became evasive and told them he had a PDF of the licence.
However, it turned out he did not have a licence and he was arrested and cautioned, and later gave a no comment interview.
A defence lawyer, who said the fireworks had a wholesale value of £8,000, explained Duggan and his fiancee had invested their savings in buying the fireworks in the hope of making a profit by selling them ahead of their wedding.
He said the defendant, who has set up a steel fabrication business, had a clear record and was “very unlikely” to appear before the court again.
The lawyer said the experience had been a salutary lesson to him as he had lost a considerable amount of money.
District Judge Oonagh Mullan told the defendant that if he was going to sell something in future he needed to make sure it was legal.