Court: Ballymena hit with ‘influx of crack cocaine’

Lawyer John McAtamney was speaking as Gary Owen Donegan (38), of Holland Park, Ballymena, admitted stealing alcohol worth £272 from Sainsbury’s in October last year.

Also in October he stole clothing worth £105 from River Island and clothing worth a £50 from Superdry.

He was further charged with possessing heroin and Diazepam.

Mr McAtamney said the defendant has been “trying to come off drugs” and had “cut himself off from the outside world”.

He added: “None of his associates could contact him. He says himself he is nearly 40 years of age and he is back to stealing”.

The solicitor said there had been a nine year gap in offending.

The lawyer continued: “He has been able to stay out of trouble but unfortunately, as Your Worship may be aware, there has been an influx of crack cocaine and other drugs of that nature in the town this last number of months and Mr Donegan had relapsed for a period of time”.

District Judge Nigel Broderick said it was a “last chance” for the defendant to engage with Probation and he adjourned the case to February 3 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.