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A 21-year-old man from Newtownabbey has been sentenced to a two-year probation order following his appearance at Lisburn Magistrates Court on drug and driving-related charges. Je-Maine Evans, of Elderburn, Newtownabbey, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of Class A drugs, specifically cocaine and MDMA, one count of possession of a Class B drug, cannabis, and failing to provide a specimen.
The charges stem from an incident on June 1, 2026, when police were alerted by staff at a Eurospar in Lisburn regarding a customer suspected of driving under the influence. Officers subsequently stopped the defendant’s vehicle at the Sprucefield roundabout. During a search of the vehicle, police recovered a bag containing a brown substance and several bags of white powder.
Following his arrest, Evans was taken to Musgrave Custody Suite, where he refused to provide a blood sample for drug testing. During his police interview, the defendant admitted to using drugs, stating they were for personal use to manage anxiety and depression. His defense solicitor noted that the defendant had been struggling with drug misuse since the age of 14 and that a recent relationship breakdown had contributed to his increased offending. The court was told that Evans is remorseful and intends to move forward from the incident.
District Judge Rosie Watters imposed the two-year probation order, stating it was intended to help the defendant avoid further trouble. In addition to the probation, Judge Watters disqualified Evans from driving for 16 months and ordered the destruction of the seized drugs.
Article source: www.northernirelandworld.com | Image credit: www.northernirelandworld.com
