Judge tells man he had ‘every chance’

Michael McGann, 22, from Glengormley Park in Newtownabbey, appeared at Lisburn Magistrates Court on Thursday (July 9) after he failed to finish a Community Service Order which had been imposed after he was arrest in Dunmurry in 2013.

McGann was charged with disorderly behaviour, theft, cultivating cannabis and possession of a Class B controlled drug.

The charges arose following an incident in Wineflair at Kingsway in Dunmurry on November 15, 2013.

The defendant had previously been ordered to carry out community service but was brought back to court after he failed to complete the order, which had been imposed by Lisburn District Judge Ms Rosie Watters.

Ms Watters told the defendant that, given his failure to complete the order, she had no alternative but to impose an immediate custodial sentence.

The Lisburn District Judge told the defendant it was “very stupid” for him to be back in court again for failure to comply with her order.

“This was very stupid of you,” she told McGann. “You got every chance.”

Ms Watters imposed a custodial sentence of four months.

She also activated two suspended prison sentences - one for three months and one for one month.

She ordered that the suspended sentences should run concurrently with each other but consecutively with the newly imposed custodial sentence.

In total the defendant was told he must serve seven months in prison.

Ms Watters also ordered McGann to pay a offender’s levy of £25 and ordered the destruction of the drugs, which had been found in the defendant’s possession.