Police in Ballymena found 'unresponsive man with crushed blue tablets around his mouth'
Police found an unresponsive man "lying face up on the ground" in Ballymena and he was in possession of 149 grammes of Bromazolam tablets.
James McDowell (33), of Lanntara in Ballymena, admitted possession of Class C drugs on July 26, 2023.
A prosecutor told Ballymena Magistrates Court when police found the defendant lying on the ground he was unresponsive and had "residue and crushed blue tablets around his mouth".
Police were able to awaken him slightly and he said he had taken a number of tablets. An ambulance was called.
A defence solicitor said there had been "a large quantity maybe two or three hundred" tablets.
He said the defendant has struggled with drug addiction "his whole life" but is engaging with a Community Addictions Team.
District Judge Nigel Broderick said the defendant had a poor record and added: "We need to try and stop him taking drugs."
He was put on Probation for a year with a condition that he gets counselling for drugs.