County Derry man fined more than £1,000 for supplying magic mushrooms

A man who a judge said was 'not a drug dealer' has been fined more than £1,000 at Derry Magistrate's Court for being concerned in the supply of magic mushrooms. 

Travis Donnelly (21) of Creggmount in Claudy had been granted anonymity when he first appeared but this order was lifted at today's hearing. 

He faced a total of five charges of possessing magic mushrooms which are a Class A drug, with intent to supply on June 9 this year, three counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A on dates in June as well as one count of possessing the drug.

The court heard that police were called to a report that the defendant's friend 'was going mad' and had jumped through a window. 

When police arrived they discovered that the person had had 'a bad reaction' to some magic mushrooms. 

Some 17 grammes of the drug were found in an envelope and the defendant made full admissions to supplying the drugs among a group of friends. 

The court heard that Donnelly was not aware these were Class A drugs and 'regretted his actions'.

Defence counsel Sinead Rogan said this was a case of a group of friends coming together to buy these drugs on the Internet. 

She said he 'genuinely didn't know' they were classed as a Class A drug.

District Judge Barney McElholm said that this man was not a drug dealer. 

He said he had come together to buy these substances but this was not done for profit. 

The judge said that people might get high for a period 'but these are dangerous substances'.

He fined Donnelly a total of £1,250.