Northern Ireland

Court hears Belfast man stopped by police in city centre had heroin hidden 'between his buttocks'

A Belfast man stopped by police in the city centre had heroin hidden between his buttocks, a court has heard.

Prosecutors said three wraps were discovered when 31-year-old Darren Whelan was searched last year.

Whelan, with an address at Stewartstown Road, appeared before the city's magistrates court to be sentenced for possessing Class A drugs.

A judge was told a police patrol stopped him at Arthur Lane on August 11.

Whelan informed officers that he had a bag of heroin secreted in his backside area.

"When he was searched in custody three wraps of heroin were located between his buttocks," a Crown lawyer said.

Defence lawyer Eoghan McKenna pointed out his client had made an early admission to the drugs charge.

He also stressed that a separate case for which Whelan received a suspended sentence relates to a subsequent incident.

District Judge Fiona Bangall responded: "He can't just keep getting suspended sentences."

However, she agreed to a four-week adjournment to allow time for further reports.