Man ate bag of mephedrone

A 20-YEAR-OLD man swallowed a bag of the legal high mephedrone as police raided his home in Portstewart, the High Court heard on Thursday.

Prosecutors said officers tried in vain to recover the substance from Daniel Heaton after they located him in a bedroom with four others.

Lines of white powder had been marked out on a plate and a quantity of herbal cannabis was also found during searches last Thursday, it was alleged.

A Crown lawyer said other suspected drugs equipment, including more than 100 resealable bags, digital scales and a home-made smoking bong, were seized from the house at Ferndale Avenue.

Heaton faces charges of being concerned in the supply of Class A and Class B drugs, possession of cannabis and obstructing police.

Sheena Mahaffey, prosecuting, claimed mobile phone text messages examined by officers formed part of the case against him.

Mrs Mahaffey told the court police discovered clear evidence of drugs use when they went into the upstairs bedroom.

She said: "The defendant was observed placing a bag of white powder into his mouth which he swallowed, despite police attempts to recover it from him."

Heaton described the substance as mephedrone, which is currently classed as a legal high, the court heard.

The judge, Mr Justice Hart, asked if it was the same drug which has gained attention through allegedly causing deaths in the north of England.

He was told that field tests carried out on powder found in the bedroom confirmed it to be mephedrone.

Opposing bail, Mrs Mahaffey added: "Police are also concerned about re-offending based on the content of the text messages."

Defence counsel Charles McCreanor stressed that Heaton's mother wanted him tagged, curfewed and tested as part of a "zero tolerance policy" to being released.

The barrister said: "She is concerned as to his future and to his well-being."

Mr McCreanor added: "He was in his home with others, mephedrone is the drug which recently attracted a lot of publicity and as yet remains legal.

"Whether or not that remains the case, no doubt politicians will attend to that."

Bail was refused due to the risk of further offences being committed.

Mr Justice Hart also remarked: "It may well be that because this particular other substance is not yet prohibited there will be no charge in relation to that."

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