Dunmurry grandfather admits possession of cannabis when stopped by PSNI in Lisburn
A Dunmurry man has been fined and given penalty points for possession of drugs and failing to have his young granddaughter properly restrained in his vehicle.
Stephen McShannock, 64, whose address was given as Glenarriff Drive in Dunmurry, appeared before Lisburn Magistrates Court on Thursday, March 13, charged with possession of a Class B drug, namely cannabis, and failure to properly restrain a child under 12 whilst in a car.
The court heard that on January 9, 2025 at 4.20pm, police stopped the defendant at Queensway in Lisburn and that his six-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter was in the front seat of the vehicle without a booster seat or proper restraints.
The police informed the defendant they would carry out a search of the vehicle and he then surrendered a bag from under the driver’s seat, which was said to contain approximately 1.5g of cannabis.
Defence stated: “He suffers from significant nerve pain. He is trying to get himself off painkillers. He had to get seven pins in his neck following an accident on holiday and he also has plates and pins in his left arm.
"His granddaughter’s father lives in Kilkeel and had the booster seat at the time. It was a silly and dangerous decision.”
On the charge of possession of drugs, Deputy District Judge Austin Kennedy imposed a fine of £350, and on the charge of failing to properly restrain the child, he imposed a fine of £150, as well as three penalty points, and an offender’s levy of £15.