Paul Sharkey, a 33-year-old man with a long history of criminal offences and homelessness, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court this week after being found in possession of the synthetic cannabinoid drug commonly known as Spice. The court heard that Sharkey was discovered with a small amount of the class B drug on 20 April on Fenkle Street in Newcastle City Centre.
Sharkey, described in court as dishevelled and covered in dried blood, pleaded guilty to attempting to possess Spice. His solicitor, Rebecca Highton, painted a stark picture of his difficult circumstances, revealing that Sharkey owes an extraordinary £18,000 to the courts. She emphasised the persistence of the challenges he faces: "This is a man who has a number of problems in his life and has had a number of problems in his life for a long time. The continuing problem is that he's of no fixed abode and he has a drug addiction. The drugs he gets caught with are for his own, personal use. He's very well-known to the police."
Highton further explained that Sharkey was brought before the court just two days after a previous arrest for possessing Spice. He had breached bail conditions by returning to Newcastle city centre, an area where, she said, "he feels safe." She described him as living "an incredibly sad life," highlighting that he had recently been assaulted, was covered in his own blood, and had been unable to access medical treatment. According to Highton, Sharkey has no income, no support, no money, and "little hope," with drug use providing him some temporary relief.
The prosecution, led by Paul Anderson, explained that after Sharkey was found with Spice by the police, he was bailed with the condition that he stay out of the parking metre zone in Newcastle city centre due to previous problems he had caused there. Anderson confirmed that the amount of Spice found was indicative of personal use and that Sharkey was arrested again when found within the restricted zone, having been in custody since 8am on the day of the hearing.
Given Sharkey’s financial situation and the substantial debt owed to the courts, magistrates chose not to impose a fine or order costs. Instead, they took into account the six hours he had already spent in custody and issued an absolute discharge, marking time served.
The hearing thus shed light on the multifaceted difficulties faced by Sharkey, including his homelessness, ongoing drug addiction, and significant legal debts, as well as the challenges law enforcement and the justice system encounter when dealing with individuals in such circumstances.
Source: Noah Wire Services