Suspended sentence for man who had cannabis

A 24-year-old Kells man has been given a two months prison sentence suspended for 12 months for possessing cannabis.

At last Thursday’s sitting of Ballymena Magistrate’s Court, Richard Michael McAleese, of Willowbrook, admitted the offence which occurred on February 19.

The court heard that McAleese had six previous convictions for drugs offences.

District Judge Desmond Perry, who ordered the destruction of the seized cannabis, observed: “He has been dabbling for some time now”.