Judge warns about dangers of sharing drugs with friends

District Judge Des Perry was speaking as he sentenced a Cullybackey man to a suspended three month prison sentence for drugs offences.

A charge of possession of herbal cannabis with intent to supply against Billy-Joe Ivan Kernohan (23), of Tobar Park, was withdrawn at Ballymena Magistrates, but on top of the suspended sentence, Kernohan was also fined 200 after admitting charges of possession of herbal cannabis and possession of Diazepam.

The court was told that Kernohan was a passenger in a vehicle stopped by police on June 18.

When searched, police discovered he had four Diazepam tablets and two bags of herbal cannabis.

Kernohan told police he had bought the drugs in conjunction with a number of other males.

A defence solicitor described Kernohan’s actions as “incredibly foolish”.

He said the defendant was currently studying a course in Belfast with a view to becoming a personal trainer and hoped to make a “clean break” by moving away from the Ballymena area.

Suspending the operation of the sentence for two years, DIstrict Judge Des Perry told Kernohan: “What you and many, many others don’t realise is that if you buy drugs and give them to your friends, that is supply, just as much as a person who stands on the street corner and sells them to strangers.

“If you don’t divorce yourself from this, you will end up serving time,” the judge added.