Was caught snorting cocaine in toilet cubicle at nightclub

When a member of staff at the Coach nightclub in Banbridge heard a strange noise coming from a toilet cubicle he found a 23-year-old man snorting cocaine.

Stasys Martinkus, Gortgonis Terrace, Coalisland, admitted unlawful possession of a class A drug, cocaine, on March 26 this year.

He was fined £250 and ordered to pay a £15 offender’s levy.

The court heard that at 10.20pm a supervisor at the Coach was checking the toilet area when he heard a strange sound coming from a cubicle. He discovered the defendant snorting white powder.

Martinkus took a bag of white powder from his pocket and put it in his mouth. Staff took it from his mouth and handed it to police.

The defendant replied no comment to every question put to him. The powder was confirmed as cocaine.

A solicitor representing Martinkus said his client would say he has no issue with drugs.

He explained the defendant had been out with three friends, there was a lot of drinking and he decided to take this substance.

The solicitor added this was the first and last time he had done this and he was not an experienced drug user.

He said that the defendant’s brother had been deported but he wants to stay in the country and is committed to staying out of trouble from now on.