Assaulted taxi driver and was in possession of a class B drug

Nicholas Owen Mulholland, whose address was given as Thomas Street, Portadown, admitted a charge of common assault on a male on May 23 last year.

He also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a class B drug, Ephylone, on May 6 last year and unlawful possession of cannabis resin on February 8 this year.

The court heard that on May 23 at 4.30pm in Thomas Street a taxi driver was assaulted by Mulholland who said he could not pay the fare.

The victim was punched once in the chest area.

When interviewed the defendant admitted having a dispute with the taxi driver but he denied the assault and claimed the fare was paid for by a friend.

On May 6 police were concerned about the safety of a male found lying in the Craigavon Lakes area.

They spoke to the defendant who appeared agitated and a search uncovered a bag containing a white powder.

On February 8 the defendant had not attended at court and on a bench warrant, police attended at a hostel in Linenhall Street in Armagh.

Mulholland was told he was being arrested and when officers searched the defendant two small pieces of cannabis resin were found in a trouser pocket and one piece in a jacket pocket.

He said he bought it for £100 and it was for his own use.

Mr Peter Murphy, representing the defendant, said his client suffered from drug addiction.

He added that Mulholland had been handed a white powder and didn’t even know what it was.

Mr Murphy said the defendant had spent some time in the Bluestone unit and then in a hostel in Armagh.

But he said his client was in a homeless situation at present.

District Judge, Mrs Bernie Kelly, said she had very little option as Mulholland had been given two bites of the cherry to get a pre-sentence report.

“One thing he needs to seek is professional help,” she added.

The judge commented that the attack on the taxi driver had been a ‘quite nasty’ offence.

For the assault offence she imposed a three month prison sentence and gave a concurrent four month term for the first drugs offence.

Judge Kelly sentenced him to three months in custody for the third offence.

The Judge ordered that this sentence would run consecutively to the first terms making a total of seven months in prison.