Dungannon man used magnet to stop electric meter

Barry Peter Coary (33), Coole Road, Dungannon, was sentenced to a total of five months in prison last Wednesday at Craigavon Magistrates Court.

For unlawful possession of a class B drug he was given two months in prison and received a concurrent three month term for preventing the meter from recording.

Suspended sentences totalling two months were put into operation, to run consecutively, making a total of five months in custody.

His solicitor applied for bail to appeal and Coary was released pending appeal on his own bail of £500.

The court heard that on May 30 last year police searched the defendant’s address at Dill Avenue, Lurgan.

They found a quantity of white powder in an upstairs bedroom which was a class B drug, Methylethcathinone.

It was also discovered that a magnet had been attached to the electricity meter to prevent it recording. The amount involved was £171.12.

District Judge, Mr Mervyn Bates, said that Coary had contested the issue of the drugs but he was satisfied the search was properly carried out.

The judge added that the defendant said he had paid back the money owed for the electricity and he accepted that was the case.

A barrister representing Coary said it was shown in the pre-sentence report that the defendant did not accept the drugs conviction.

He added that since this incident Coary was back living with his parents in Dungannon, trying to get his life back on track.

Judge Bates said that after the contest he was quite satisfied the defendant was guilty and Coary’s problem was that he was in breach of a suspended sentence.