Portadown taxi driver's job may be 'in jeopardy' after PSNI found cocaine in his car, Craigavon court hears
A Portadown taxi driver’s job “may be in jeopardy” after he was found with cocaine in his car, Craigavon court hears.
Steven James Roycroft, aged 41, from Drumannon Park, appeared before Craigavon Magistrates Court charged with possession of the Class A drug cocaine.
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Police were on patrol of the Garvaghy Road, Portadown, on August 11 this year and spotted the defendant driving a Skoda Octavia. Both car and defendant were searched. Police found three grams of cocaine.
"He made full admissions in interview and was apologetic,” said the Prosecutor.
Roycroft’s barrister Mr David McKeown said his client “had issues” with this substance over recent years.
"As you can see from his record he received a community-based order for a much more serious version of it,” said Mr McKeown, adding that his client had “put that behind him” but “struggled at times to shake the habit” but has reduced it “dramatically”.
The barrister said: “Whatever Your Worship does to him he may end up in much more difficulty in that he is a taxi driver.”
He said his client will have to be referred to the DVA to assess if he is a “fit and proper person” to drive and his job “is in jeopardy”.
District Judge Michael Ranaghan said: “There were early admissions and a plea entered at the earliest opportunity.”
He said he would deal with it via a fine despite his 2024 conviction. "I am looking at three grams of cocaine,” he said, fining him £300 plus Offender Levy of £15.
He granted Roycroft some time to pay, 16 weeks, as “his livelihood may be affected by this disposal”.