Derry Judge says “legal highs” are illegal drugs which haven’t yet been classified

A judge at Derry Magistrate’s Court has described so called legal highs as ‘illegal drugs not yet classified.’
District Judge Barney McElholm was speaking during a case involving a 17-year-old who was charged with falsely imprisoning a social worker, threatening to kill her and possessing an offensive weapon among other charges on Tuesday last, December 1st.
The court was told that police received a report that a social worker who had called at an address in connection with the youth had been falsely imprisoned when the youth barricaded the door.
The social worker managed to escape by climbing over a wall when the youth was distracted.
The court was told that prior to the police arriving the youth had been ‘in an agitated state’ and social workers were trying to get an address for him.
He was said to have told social workers that if he was sent to a children’s home he would set fire to himself and the home.
The youth’s grandmother informed the social workers that she had removed a meat cleaver and a knife from the youth but she thought he had another knife on him.
Defence solicitor Mr. Keith Kyle said his client had bought so called legal highs from the Internet.
Judge McElholm said he had no time for those who argued so called legal highs were justified as they were simply illegal drugs not yet classified.
He adjourned the bail application and remanded the youth in custody until December 10 to see if a bail package could be put in place.