North Belfast Father and Son Given Chance to Avoid Jail in Drug Case

A North Belfast father and son who admitted their involvement in drug dealing have been given what a judge described as a "rare opportunity" to avoid immediate time behind bars, provided they stay completely clean.

James Conway, 41, of Cranbrook Gardens, and his son Odhran Conway, 22, of Velsheda Court, appeared before Belfast Crown Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to drug offences. James Conway admitted possessing cocaine, possessing £6,175 in criminal property, and being concerned in the supply of cannabis between July 27 and September 10, 2024. Odhran Conway pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of both cocaine and cannabis.

The court heard that police carried out planned searches under warrant at both Cranbrook Gardens and Velsheda Court on September 10, 2024. When officers entered the Velsheda Court property, they found James Conway sitting at the kitchen table. A search of his jacket uncovered 4.97 grams of cocaine valued at up to £600, while around £45 worth of herbal cannabis was discovered wrapped in tinfoil in the kitchen.

Officers also searched an outbuilding behind the Velsheda Court property, where they found a bin bag containing 1.04 kilograms of herbal cannabis with an estimated street value of up to £6,500. Odhran Conway’s DNA was identified on the handles of the bag. Inside a bedroom, police discovered £2,600 hidden in a vase alongside a "tick list" noting names including 'Jimmy' and 'G Bo'. In total, drugs recovered from Velsheda Court reached an estimated value of £9,845.

Searches at Cranbrook Gardens yielded a single herbal cannabis bud and two deal bags of cocaine. Seized mobile phones revealed text exchanges demonstrating their roles, with the prosecution stating Odhran Conway ran the operation while his father worked on his behalf. In one message exchange from August 2024, Odhran asked his father to chase a payment, prompting James Conway to contact an individual stating, "He is looking paid" and "Wats story young pup lookn paid."

During police interviews, James Conway claimed the cocaine was for personal daily use and described the seized cash as "holiday money." Odhran Conway admitted to daily cannabis use but denied dealing drugs, while giving officers an incorrect phone passcode. Both men subsequently told the court they had turned their lives around and stepped away from drugs.

Judge Aaron Thompson stated that while the custody threshold had been passed, he agreed to defer sentencing for six months to allow for rehabilitation. Under the strict terms of the deferral, both men must undergo drug testing every two months, avoid any further offending, maintain employment, and complete rehabilitation treatment.

Warning the pair that any breach will result in immediate imprisonment, Judge Thompson stressed that they had been given a rare opportunity and that clean drug tests would be expected. The case is scheduled to return to court for a deferred sentencing hearing on Thursday, April 8, 2027. The judge also directed that the confiscated £6,175 be donated to the charity Addictions NI, and ordered the destruction of all seized drugs, phones, and paraphernalia.