Building firm boss caught with cocaine after disturbance outside Sunderland city centre bar

Garry Donoghue, 43, was spotted by police making a nuisance of himself outside Glow - and followed their instructions to leave the area.

But Donoghue, of Milcombe Close, Doxford Park, Sunderland, returned fifteen minutes later on Saturday, September 5, and continued to cause disruption - and was arrested.

He was the taken to South Shields police station, where two wraps of the Class A drug cocaine were found in his possession.

Donoghue has been fined and hit with court costs of more than £230 after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine and being drunk and disorderly in a public place.

Prosecutor Clare Irving told South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court: “This defendant was seen being ejected from the Glow bar at about 1.50am.

“Officers noticed that he appeared to be drunk. About fifteen minutes later he returned.

“He appeared to be involved in some disturbance. He was cautioned for being drunk and disorderly when he refused to move away.

“A search at the police station found two wraps of drugs. They were field tested and proved positive as cocaine.”

Bushra Begum, defending, said that Donoghue was given the drugs but had not taken them.

Ms Begum told the court: “Mr Donoghue says that he had gone out and had been drinking more than he ought.

“It’s because of drink and because he didn’t move away when asked.

“All he can say about the drugs is that a friend had given them to him, and he hadn’t taken any.

“They were for his own personal use. They were still on his person.

“He owns a business, UK Home Improvements, which he has been doing for 12 years.

“Due to the pandemic, he had had to go on Universal Credit for the past two weeks.”

Magistrates fined Donohoe £120, with £85 court costs and a £34 victim surcharge for the drugs charge.

There was no separate penalty for being drunk and disorderly.

The court ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs.

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