Man jailed for dealing drugs on Belfast City Hall lawn

Michael James Mark McGann, a father of two from Glengormley Park, Newtownabbey, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis, having the class B drug with intent to supply and possession of over £400 in criminal property.

He has 42 previous convictions, including five for involvement with drugs.

Prosecution lawyer Simon Jenkins told the city’s Crown Court that on July 24 McGann was spotted on CCTV by city hall security staff taking a package from under the waistband of his trousers and handing it over to another male.

Mr Jenkins said police who arrested McGann found three other packages of cannabis together with £410 in cash. In a later interview he denied drug dealing, claiming he was there to buy drugs and that the cash came from a friend repaying a previous loan.

Defence barrister Michael Boyd said that despite McGann reverting back to these claims in his pre-sentence report, he did acknowledge his guilt, and that it was “clear as the light of day” that he had been drug dealing.

Mr Boyd said McGann’s involvement in this particular enterprise was to feed his own addiction and to pay for his own drugs.

McGann will serve seven months in custody, followed by a similar period on licence, and the judge directed that the cash found on him should be given to charity.