Judge's warning over Class C drug offences

A judge in Londonderry has warned that courts will take offences involving class C drugs “more seriously”.

Judge Neil Rafferty made the comments as he jailed a man for drug-related offences including the supply of class C drugs and having class B drugs.

Gavin White, 33, from Rossnagalliagh, was sentenced to eight months in custody and eight months on licence at Londonderry Crown Court on Thursday.

The judge said he had been briefed that the majority of drug-related deaths in Derry were caused by Class C substances.

Sentencing White, Judge Rafferty said he had recently been briefed by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) on drug deaths in the city.

Officers told him that the "vast majority" were caused by Class C drugs.

The Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 divides drugs into three categories: Class A, B and C, according to the harm they cause when misused.

Anabolic steroids, pregabalin and some tranquillisers are among the drugs classified as Class C.

Judge Rafferty said the courts would take that category of drugs “more seriously” than set out in guidelines.

The court was told that on 29 October 2023, police on patrol in the Clon Dara area of Derry saw White who was “clearly under the influence” of some substance.

White was known to police and a quantity of cannabis was found on him, the court heard.

When police went to arrest him, he became aggressive and head butted two officers and assaulted a third.

A triage of his phone, the court heard, revealed he had been supplying drugs throughout the month of October.

The judge told the court White had 125 previous convictions and had been the victim of a paramilitary style attack.

An anonymity order that had previously been imposed was also lifted in court on Thursday.