Craigavon woman told to expect jail next time she is caught with drugs after PSNI find cannabis in her kitchen cupboard during search
A judge told a Craigavon woman to expect jail the next time she is caught with drugs, after a court heard police found cannabis in her kitchen cupboard.
Jolene Rock, aged 44, from Willowfield Crescent, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with possessing the Class B drug cannabis on October 4 last year.
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Rock’s barrister Mr Damien Halleron said his client pleaded guilty and pointed out that she has a record.
The court heard that on October 4 last year at 10.10am, police conducted a premises search of an address at Willowfield Crescent. The search uncovered three grams of cannabis in a kitchen cupboard.
During a notebook interview, Rock identified the substance as cannabis and admitted ownership.
Mr Halleron said: “She tells me that that material had been in that cupboard for a considerable period of time and she had forgotten it was there.”
He reminded the district judge that Rock was subject to a Probation Order which she successfully completed. This included drug counselling which “she derived a great benefit from” and is now “completely cannabis-free”. “So the statutory intervention has worked,” said the barrister.
"I accept that she has been before the courts, she has been fined and then given Probation and now she is back before the court. On the face of it she was in breach of the Probation Order when she did that but it was material that was found from some considerable time before,” said the barrister, urging the district judge to “leave something hanging over her head”.
The barrister added that Rock is on Job Seekers Allowance and lives with her sister and nephew.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said the court has no proof the defendant is drug-free. “Your record speaks of someone who had previously certainly been a regular user of drugs. The court is told you say you are drug-free.
"This offence comes at the tail end of a Probation Order which concerns the court. It is three grams of cannabis. The court will deal with this by way of a financial penalty but it will certainly be the last time you get such a chance,” he said.
"In future, if you offend again, the likely outcome will be custody,” he added. Rock was fined £300 plus the £15 offender levy.