Snorted cocaine off a bench in kitchen

He was 23-year-old Brian Reid, of Regents Wood, Magheralin, and the offences happened on three different dates.

A five month prison term and a five year ban were imposed for driving with excess alcohol, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance on July 13 last year. All the terms are to run concurrently.

He was also fined 100 and banned for 12 months for driving without due care and attention.

For two breaches of a non molestation order on February 5 this year he was given four months in prison and concurrent four months terms were imposed for breach of a non molestation order and possession of cocaine on March 8 this year.

Suspended sentences of four months were also put into operation.

The three terms of prison sentences are to run consecutively to each other making a total of 13 months in custody.

The court heard that on July 13 police received a report of a car being driven erratically at Ballybay Meadows in Portadown.

When they arrived they found a car halfway on the grass and halfway on the road. The defendant was in the driver’s seat and still had the keys in his hand.

He was under the influence of alcohol and when arrested became abusive to police. A breath test gave a reading of 56.

It transpired he was a disqualified driver and did not have insurance.

In February 2 he sent texts to the injured party who had obtained a non molestation order against him.

On March 8 the injured party said she had received texts from Reid. The previous evening he had been in the house and put their daughter to bed. He then took cocaine out of his pocket and sniffed it on the kitchen bench.

The case had been adjourned from a previous court so that a pre-sentence report could be obtained.

A barrister for Reid said it was a wanton piece of driving. He had been at a house with friends.

He added that the defendant had become involved in drugs abuse and was using them regularly including mephedrone and cocaine. Reid came from a stable background but had gone off the rails.

The barrister said that Reid was at a party and foolishly drove the car around the street. It was a ridiculous piece of behaviour and luckily no one was injured.

The lawyer told the court that the first text messages came after the breakdown of Reid’s relationship with the injured party with whom he had a two-year-old daughter.

On the second occasion, he explained, the injured party had actually picked the defendant up and brought him to the house. Reid admitted he snorted cocaine.