Woman had canister of CS spray for her own protection

Before the Court was Angela Sperou, with an address in Knightsbridge in the Waterside, who pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon, namely the CS spray gas canister.

She also admitted a further charge of driving with excess alcohol. Both offences arose from an incident which took place on March 8 at her home address.

The District Judge, Barney McElholm, was told by the prosecution that the police conducted a search of Sperou’s home during which they found the CS gas cannister, which had been uncovered in her wardrobe.

The Court heard that the defendant had arrived home during the course of the search under such circumstances that police at the scene suspected she had been driving under the influence of alcohol while making the journey home.

A subsequent evidential breath test produced a reading of 81mg of alcohol in 100ml of breath, which the Court was told was more than twice the legal limit.

District Judge McElholm fined Sperou a total of £250 and disqualified her from driving for 15 months.