Cookstown man found alone in car was using cannabis to cope with anxiety, court told

Pierce Aitchison (27), from Drumvale Park, was also ordered to pay a £15 offender's levy for possessing the drug on January 27 last.

District Judge Peter Magill told Aitchison at Dungannon Magistrates Court, sitting in Omagh, that cannabis can have bad effects on some people and when he bought the drug he was putting money into the pockets of organised crime gangs.

Prosecuting counsel said police were on patrol at Davagh Forest about an ongoing issue when they saw a parked vehicle.

The lawyer said on approaching the vehicle, police noticed a smell which they believed to be cannabis.

He said Aitchison was alone and admitted having cannabis in the car and that he had paid £50 and used it to cope with anxiety.

A defence lawyer said the defendant worked as a project manager and has not used drugs since and did not intend to in the future.