Lurgan man caught with cocaine at Rushmere Shopping Centre

The 32-year-old also fled police when caught driving without a licence

A Lurgan man who fled police when he was caught driving without a licence has been fined and handed a community service order.

In a separate incident, the 32-year-old was also caught in possession of cocaine at Rushmere Shopping Centre.

At a hearing before Craigavon Magistrates Court on Friday, District Judge Francis Rafferty sentenced Robert Haughian, of Shankill Street to 140 hours of community service, alongside a one year driving ban and a £250 fine.

He appeared charged with possession of Class A drugs, obstructing an officer, using a vehicle without insurance and driving without a licence.

The court heard on September 8 last year, the defendant was in Rushmere Shopping Centre when a small bag of white powder dropped from his pocket. The substance was tested and found to be cocaine.

On April 25 prior, police observed a Honda Civic driving on Prospect Way in Lurgan. They approached the vehicle and two males and a female got out and fled from police.

He was detained after a foot pursuit and initially stated he was not the driver. When the vehicle details were put to him, he initially refused to answer but later stated he was driving and his partner was the owner of the car.

Police checks confirmed the defendant was disqualified from driving.

Alongside the total sentence imposed across both cases, District Judge Rafferty also made a destruction order for the drugs.