A former Ulster and Ireland rugby player has been given a conditional discharge after he admitted having herbal cannabis.
Newtownards Magistrates Court was told that 33-year-old Ryan Cyril Caldwell was pleading guilty to possessing the class B drug on March 10 last year.
A prosecuting lawyer outlined how he was a passenger in a car which was stopped at a police checkpoint on the Springhill Road in Bangor.
Officers noticed a "strong smell" of cannabis and when they asked if there was anything "you shouldn't have" in the vehicle, Caldwell produced a small bag of herbal cannabis, saying it was for personal use in relation to "an old hip injury".
Defence solicitor Andrew Russell said his client, who appeared in court on crutches, had hip replacement surgery last week and suffers from arthritis and "concussive injuries" and while "it's accepted there's an element of recreational use", the ex-rugby star "gets pain relief from it".
The former Ulster and Ireland lock also played for Bath and Exeter Chiefs before his career finished two years ago.
Deputy District Judge John Rea said given Caldwell has a previous caution for possessing a class A drug, "there's a pattern emerging so rather than imposing a financial penalty what I will do is impose a 12-month conditional discharge".
He told Caldwell, from Castlecoole Park in Belfast, that "if you keep out of trouble you will hear nothing more about this" but if he re-offends, he would be sentenced again.
