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05 Dec 2025

Self confessed drug dealer jailed for 26 months at Derry Crown Court

John Paul Stokes from Old City Court admitted being concerned in supplying cocaine, pregabalin and cannabis. He also pleaded guilty to possessing zopiclone

£250,000 fraud case involving Donegal woman adjourned at Derry Magistrate's Court

Derry Crown Court

Reporter:

Court Reporter

12 Dec 2024 1:00 PM

Email:

news@derrynow.com

A 24-year-old self confessed drugs dealer, who was subjected to a number of paramilitary beatings during his teenage years, has been jailed for 26 months at Derry Crown Court after he admitted being concerned in supplying cocaine, pregabalin and cannabis.
John Paul Stokes from Old City Court also pleaded guilty to possessing zopiclone. He committed the offences over a 12 month period starting in November 2022.
He's also due to be sentenced at Derry Magistrate's Court tomorrow for eight other offences.
Stokes, who has 59 criminal convictions, 23 of them for drugs offences, was told by Judge Neil Rafferty K.C. in relation to previously imposed suspended sentences: "you do not seem to have gotten the message and you just continued to steam full ahead with your offending".
Defence barrister Michael Donaghy told Judge Rafferty that the defendant's drugs offending took place during a particularly difficult in his life which included several family deaths, longstanding health issues and substance abuse. 
"He pleaded guilty to these offences at the earliest opportunity without any cock and bull stories", Mr. Donaghy said.
Judge Rafferty said the drugs offending by Stokes was uncovered by the police in February of last year when another individual of interest was arrested and had his mobile phone triaged. It was found to contain evidence that Stokes was involved in offering to supply cocaine and cannabis.
Judge Rafferty said Stokes "dropped out of sight for some time" before he was eventually arrested and charged. He said Stokes unsuccessfully attempted to damage his mobile phone which when triaged by the police was found to contain evidence of his involvement in supplying Class A, B and C drugs.
Judge Rafferty said while the defendant was assessed by the probation service as not posing a significant risk to members of the public, he was assessed as being a high likelihood re-offender.
"A strong deterrent message must be sent out to dissuade others from offending in relation to supplying drugs in this city. This type of offending is crushingly all too familiar to the court", he said.
Judge Rafferty then removed a previously imposed anonymity order in the case.

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