A judge warned people against “self-medicating” with drugs saying: “You don’t know what you are taking”.
District Judge Peter King was speaking at Coleraine Magistrates Court on September 9 where Che Black (31), of Maple Drive in Coleraine, admitted possessing cocaine at his home.
A prosecutor said that on June 6 this year police carried out a search of the defendant’s home address under warrant.
After entering through an unlocked front door they found Black alone in the property and four bags of cocaine worth £200 were discovered in a bedroom.
The defendant said they were for his own use.Defence barrister Alan Stewart said Black had long-standing physical and mental health issues and was unemployed after he was unable to continue work on a production line due to his health.
Mr Stewart said the defendant fell into a “bad habit” of self-medicating after he “found himself in a hole”.
The lawyer said Black is now clear of drugs.Judge King also told the defendant self-medicating was “never going to work”.
The defendant was fined £350.
