A 43 year old Derry man has been jailed for a year for drug dealing.
Daniel Doherty, of Liscannor Park, appeared before Derry Crown Court today for sentencing.
He pleaded guilty to possession and possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs, namely cocaine, ecstasy and cannabis resin.
The court heard that on July 14 at around 2.20am police witnessed the defendant being approached by several people outside premises on the Strand Road.
When police approached him they could smell cannabis so he was searched and three small bags of blue and pink tablets, five small bags of cocaine and one bag of cannabis resin were found.
Doherty was arrested and taken to Strand Road police station where he was again searched and £1000 was found.
When interviewed by police, Doherty said he had found the items in Harvey Street and was keeping some for himself and was going to hand the rest over.
The court then heard how Doherty had been on a two year probation order for a previous drugs offence on January 8, 2013.
A pre-sentence report found that Doherty had been using drugs since he was 17 years old and had been become a heavier user in his twenties. He was treated for a drug-induced psychosis in 2002.
Crown Court Judge Phillip Babington said there was a ‘high likelihood’ of Doherty re-offending and that he’d breached bail on two occasions.
Sentencing him to one year in prison and one year on licence, the judge said: “Drugs are the scourge of this town and those who use them have a life of misery in front of them.”
A destruction order was issued for the drugs and a confiscation order for the cash.
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