A man has been fined £500 after police found cocaine in his car in Cookstown. Conor Mallon, 31, of Cherryvale Avenue, Desertmartin, was also ordered to pay a £15 offender levy and the drug was confiscated for destruction.

On 12 December 2024, officers on patrol in the Church Street area followed a BMW towards Moneymore Road. They spoke to Mallon, who was alone in the vehicle, and carried out a search. A small bag containing white powder was discovered on the car floor. The substance was later identified as cocaine.

Mallon told police he did not own the drug and could not explain how it got there.

At a hearing, District Judge Francis Rafferty imposed the financial penalties and made an order for destruction of the cocaine. The judge commented that he saw no reason for the case to have been listed as a contested hearing.