ARMAGH: Two men appeared in Newry Magistrates' Court charged with evading HMRC duty on around 380,000 cigarettes seized during a roadside stop near Keady, with a further million cigarettes found at a nearby property - representing an estimated total excise duty of £846,000. Philip Sherry (34) was granted bail with strict conditions including electronic tagging and five-times-weekly police reporting, while John Hegarty (77) was released on a cash surety of £1,000 with passport surrender and weekly reporting.

BALLYMENA: A Co Tyrone man with almost 50 convictions across two jurisdictions was jailed for eight months after driving to Belfast International Airport while disqualified and using a car fitted with false plates. Liam Chism (31) of Omagh, who pleaded guilty, was also handed a two-year driving ban and fines totalling £300, though he was freed on bail pending an appeal.

DUNGANNON: A teenager from near Coalisland appeared in Dungannon Magistrates' Court charged with two counts each of making and possessing indecent images of children, with alleged offending between December 2024 and February 2025. Terry O'Neill (18) was remanded on £250 bail with conditions including a ban on internet-enabled devices and no unsupervised contact with anyone under 16, with the case adjourned to September 25.