Drug addict, caught with heroin at Portadown Train Station, told PSNI it was 'sugar for his Dad's tea' Craigavon court hears
A drug addict, caught with heroin at Portadown Train Station, told police it was ‘sugar for his Dad’s tea’.
Niall Bernard Withers, aged 34, from The Spires, Portadown appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Wednesday facing two charges including possession of heroin and possession of alprazolam.
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The court heard police were on patrol at Portadown Train Station on November 18, 2022 and spotted the defendant walking through the main waiting area.
A Prosecutor said: “He dropped an item on the ground and police went to give it back to him and they smelled suspected cannabis from his clothing. He was then searched and a small white wrap containing a brown substance was found in his wallet. This was suspected to be heroin.
"During the search the defendant had been warned about continually putting his hands in his pockets. Then police found a further small white wrap on the ground while the search was taking place. It is believed he was trying to discard this item.
"The search continued and quantities of tin foil were located in his pocket along with three strips of medication in blister packs.”
During interview Withers denied possessing illegal drugs and claimed one of the items was “sugar for his father’s tea”.
The Prosecutor told the court that police observed CCTV and there were no items on the ground prior to this incident and the search of Withers. The defendant also claimed in interview that one of the strips of medication belonged to him and the other his father but there was no official documentation with the items.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “I might be old fashioned but in my day heroin, no matter how much it was, it went straight to the Crown Court because it can kill you on the first occasion.”
Withers’ barrister Mr Conor Lunny said his client is a “very bright young man” and qualified as an engineer working at various jobs. “Unfortunately a motorcycle incident led to him losing his employment and then addicted to opiates,” said Mr Lunny, adding that Withers is back living with his mother.
"She is a constant source of support for him. She is with him in court today. She brought him to his methadone substitute programme this morning,” said Mr Lunny. He said Withers seems to be making progress but it is a daily battle.
District Judge Ranaghan repeated that heroin is so dangerous that the first time you take it, it can kill. “There’s been a number of heroin takers in this country who have died and I sadly had carriage of a number of those cases as well.
"I see your mother in the back of the court and she is, no doubt, very worried about the state that you are in and have been in, albeit that there is some upturn in your situation. Easy option, send you to prison because it is Class A, but what good does that do? Not very much. It probably just makes you worse.
"The court’s real job is to stop you offending again and get you off the drugs and the best way I can do that is through the valuable service of Probation,” said the District Judge.
He sentenced Withers to 18 months of Probation supervision plus 80 hours Community Service.