����ý

A judge at Londonderry Crown Court has warned that anyone dealing drugs in the city will be jailed.

Judge Neil Rafferty said he wanted the message "to be clear" to dealers as he sent a serial drug offender to prison on Friday.

Joseph McMonagle, 35, of Kavanagh Court in Derry, admitted drug charges and dangerous driving.

The judge said that McMonagle had seven previous convictions for drug offences and "an atrocious driving record".

The court was told that on 1 October last year, police observed McMonagle driving a motorbike along a pavement.

He was detained and drugs were found on him, as well as money.

'Futures destroyed'

The judge said he wanted "the message to be clear anyone dealing drugs in the city is getting a custodial sentence".

He said there was "a significant problem" with class A, B, C drugs in the city.

Judge Rafferty said he "noted with grief" that there had been a number of deaths due to drugs, which he described as "young lives wasted and futures destroyed".

McMonagle was sentenced to two years in prison, with half to be served in custody and half on license under supervision.

He was also disqualified from driving for three years.