A Sion Mills man was ‘trying to feed a need’ when he tried to use a stolen prescription to obtain drugs from a Convoy pharmacy.
Alex Cassells, of 139 Sion Mills, was before Letterkenny District Court to face charges from the incident on April 5.
Sergeant Jim Collins told the Court that Cassells produced a note from a doctor that was not in his own name.
The prescription, for diazepam and zopiclone tablets, was not dispensed to Cassells.
The 29-year-old Cassells was apprehended by Gardai and he admitted to handling stolen property.
Cassells was also before the court on a charge arising from an incident on the N15 Donegal to Ballybofey road where Cassells rear-ended a car at a set of temporary traffic lights.
The driver who had been impacted believed that he had been hit on purpose and after an exchange of words, Cassells left the scene and failed to give the relevant information.
“He was trying to feed a need at the time and was presented with a voucher so it was more likely than not that he was going to go with it,” defending solicitor, Mr Frank Dorrian, told the Court.
Mr Dorrian said that his client had developed an addition having been prescribed painkillers and diazepam.
“He has spent ten days in jail as he couldn’t obtain bail,” said Mr Dorrian.
“As regards the incident at the traffic lights, the other driver believed my client had caused this deliberately and this gave rise to his departure. It was a very untidy situation.”
Mr Dorrian said his client had been due to attend the Northlands Clinic in Northern Ireland, in an attempt to deal with his addition, but that had to be postponed as he was in custody on other charges.
Mr Dorrian added: “He is doing all he can to bring order to his life. He is currently drug-free but that is not without a struggle.”
Judge Paul Kelly fined Cassells €250 for failing to give appropriate information at the scene of a collision and a given a further fine of €100 for handling stolen property.