Local men charged with cultivating cannabis

Donald Leighton (49), of Ardmore Drive and Jonathan Desmond Wilson (43), of Cappaghmore Manor, are each charged with cultivating cannabis; possessing cannabis with intent to supply and possession of the Class B drug.

The alleged offences relate to February 9 this year and involve the Ardmore Drive property listed as Leighton’s address.

Both accused have yet to indicate which way they will plea and their cases were were adjourned to July.

Both are currently on bail of £400 each and they are banned from having any contact with each other. Leighton also must not have any contact with a named female.

Both accused have to sign bail at a police station twice a week and Wilson also has a curfew from 10pm to 8am.

* A man who made a gesture and shouted abuse which included the word “b--tards” as a band accompanied an Apprentice Boys of Derry parade along Killowen Street and past Pates Lane in Coleraine has been given a one year conditional discharge.

Patrick Nigel Simpson (44), of Somerset Drive, Coleraine, appeared at the town’s Magistrates Court on Monday May 9 and pleaded guilty to a charge of disorderly behaviour which related to 7.30pm on August 2 last year.

A charge of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour with intent to provoke a breach of the peace was withdrawn. A prosecutor said the incident was aggravated by hostility.

Defence solicitor Garrett Greene said it was at the lowest end of disorderly and there had been no physical interference or anything else of an inappropriate nature.

Deputy District Judge Liam McStay said deliberate provocation of such a public event would be serious and he takes a strong view on that however he said the fact that the police who were present didn’t see anything at the time gave an indication it wasn’t overt or prolonged.

* A man’s ex-partner came from a pub to try to calm him down but he struck her several times and grabbed her by the throat.

As soon as Deputy District Judge Liam McStay heard those details he told a prosecutor to halt outlining the facts as he said a pre-sentence report is needed. Simon McAfee (20) of Farranseer Park, Macosquin, was at Coleraine Magistrates Court where he admitted six charges including one of being disorderly at the Causeway Hospital in Coleraine.

The offences occurred on April 3 this year. Other charges include being disorderly at Main Street, Bushmills; three of assault and one of criminal damage to a window.

The prosecutor told the court that at 12.50am on April 3 a passing police patrol was flagged down in Bushmills where a male, who had an injury to his left hand, was being restrained on the ground.

Police were told the man was found lying on the road unconscious and was lifted off the road. The court was told McAfee was then in a highly aggressive state and when he ex-partner came to the scene he assaulted her before pushing her. The judge said it is a serious case as he adjourned it until June 6.