Addict kicked out cop car window while struggling to kick drugs

A recovering drug addict from Worksop kicked the window out of a police car after he was caught with illegal pills, a court has heard.
NEWS from Nottingham Crown Court.NEWS from Nottingham Crown Court.
NEWS from Nottingham Crown Court.

Ryan Patrick McLaughlin, 33, of Gateford Road, admitted causing over £800 of damage to the police car when he was arrested on January 24 on Watson Road in Worksop.

McLaughlin also admitted possessing 100 diazepam tablets, which he told officers he used to help him sleep while he was coming off heroin.

Jo Chadd, prosecuting, told the court he had a number of previous convictions for burglary and theft, and was subject to a community order with a drug rehabilitation element.

Chris Perry, mitigating, told the court McLaughlin was ‘tantalisingly close to being drug free’ and had been working well with the probation service to ‘tackle the root causes’ of his drug problems.

He described the ‘massive effort’ McLaughlin had made and said he had been using the Class C drugs in an attempt to stay off heroin.

“This was his way of self-medicating,” said Mr Perry. “It is an indication of the lengths he wanted to go to to get off heroin.

“Providing he engages in the long term there is every reason to believe that he will achieve what he wants - abstinence from drugs and a readiness to work.”

McLaughlin also admitted failing to surrender to custody on February 11, but the court heard this was a genuine error.

Magistrates revoked McLaughlin’s current order and imposed a new 12-month community order, with a nine month drug rehabilitation requirement. He was ordered to pay £80 compensation.

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