A MAN who was found with cannabis after police stopped a van he was travelling near Kesh was using the drug for back pain after becoming addicted to prescription painkillers.
Paddy Ward (29) of Charlemont, Moy, Co Armagh appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court on Monday charged with possession of a Class B drug.
On April 29 this year police stopped a Citroen Berlingo van on the Boa Island Road, which was travelling in the direction of Kesh.
The officers could smell cannabis from the van and when they told the people in the van Ward came forward and handed them a tin containing a small amount of the Class B drug.
Ward told them he’d paid around £20-£30 for it and was for his own personal use.
Defence barrister Ciaran Roddy said Ward used the cannabis for back pain. He explained Ward had suffered a fracture to his spine some time back and had been taking Tramadol but had become addicted, and was using cannabis instead.
Mr Roddy said Ward had cooperated fully with police, and the father-of-two realised if he kept using cannabis he would be back before the court again.
District Judge Nigel Broderick fined Ward £200.
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