By Garrett Hargan
Reporter
A Judge based in the city said that unregulated and ‘highly dangerous’ illegal drugs purchased over the internet are poisoning the youth of Derry.
District Judge Barney McElholm made the comments during the case of Keelin Rheinheimer, 19, of Clon Elagh, who has been charged with numerous offences.
Those include being concerned in the supply of Class B and C drugs, Cannabis and Xanax and Diazepam, between May 1, 2017 and April 11 2018, as well as possession and attempted possession of Xanax and Cannabis on April 10/11 of this year.
He is further charged with aggravated burglary, making threats to kill a male and the common assault of a female on May 10 of this year. A charge of attempted possession of Pregabalin on May 15 were withdrawn without prejudice to proceed by way of a report.
Police objected to bail for a ‘number of reasons’ including a risk of reoffending.
The court heard two packages containing Xanax and Pregabalin were intercepted by police, one containing 200 tablets and the other 100.
Outlining the case, a police officer explained that on April 10 the PSNI intercepted a postal package containing Xanax that was addressed to ‘R. Mc’. She believed it belonged to Rheinheimer and would ‘involve the supply of illegal drugs’. At this stage police were able to access Facebook accounts linked to the 19-year-old.
Officers arrested him at his address where he was said to have been on the phone to Royal Mail making enquiries about his missing parcel. A phone was seized for examination and he was bailed with the condition, amongst others, not to possess a mobile phone or any internet enabled device.
‘Stabbing actions’
There was a report that he and another male forced their way in to a property on Rossville Street on May 10 where the other male, armed with a screwdriver, made ‘stabbing actions’ at a woman and her brother while demanding money. Rheinheimer was subsequently sought for arrest and on May 15 a ‘further postal package’ destined for his grandmother’s address at O’Casey Court was intercepted ‘containing illegal drugs’.
It was due for delivery at 1pm, however, the defendant was arrested at 11am. He was further arrested and charged with aggravated burglary and making threats to kill for the alleged offences at Rossville Street.
The defendant had a pre-prepared statement for his police interview in which he denied association with the Facebook accounts and said that between 7-11 of them are ‘fake’. When asked how he knew there were that many he made no comment.
Police suspect he has been purchasing drugs ‘from a Facebook supplier’ and the officer said the court would be ‘well aware of the dangers of Xanax and Pregabalin’. An electronic tablet device police believe to be linked to the defendant contained a message asking, ‘where’s my f***ing money, it’s Keelin’.
At police interview, denials were also made regarding the parcel addressed to ‘R. Mc’ and ownership of the phone seized by police.
During cross-examination of the police officer, defence solicitor Derwin Harvey suggested the drug quantities mentioned could indicate they were for personal use and his client had told his doctor he uses those drugs.
He said Rheinheimer ‘consistently’ denied supplying the drugs and acknowledged that the availability of such drugs on Facebook was a ‘worrying factor’.
One relevant conviction from 2014 for possession of cannabis was cited. Mr Harvey added that his client’s mother was willing to offer him a bail address and said stringent conditions could allay police concerns.
‘Protect our children’
District Judge Barney McElholm said: “Drugs like Xanax and Pregabalin are poisoning the youth of this city and further afield. Drug dealers are like craft beer brewers, a different one pops up every week.”
The internet provides people with access to ‘highly dangerous drugs’, he explained. The District Judge said it is unclear what is in drugs bought over the internet and even in its regulated form Pregabalin has to be handled with ‘extreme care’.
“If you’re involved in this type of enterprise you can’t expect leniency from the courts.”
He said there has to be a balance between the rights of the individual and those of society but ‘society has to win out’ and courts have to ‘protect our children’.
Pointing to insufficient resources for police ‘on the ground’, Judge McElholm also called for the use of technology to help track the movements of alleged offenders. “If technology can help, why not use it.”
Bail was refused and the defendant remanded in custody to appear by way of video link on June 7.
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