Judge returns man for crown court trial on drugs and stun gun charges

A convicted drug dealer is to stand trial accused of having an assortment of illegal drugs, a stun gun and ammunition, a judge ruled on Thursday.

Eamon Scullion appeared before Belfast Magistrates’ Court on a total of eight charges.

The 26-year-old, of Duneden Park in the city, is accused of having quantities of cocaine and amphetamines with intent to supply.

He also faces separate counts of attempted possession of Ecstasy. Further charges against him involve having a .222 Remington calibre cartridge in suspicious circumstances, and possession of a prohibited stun gun-type weapon.

All of the alleged offences relate to an incident in November last year.

When he first appeared in court last November, Scullion claimed he owed money to a criminal gang and said they forced him to stash hundreds of ecstasy pills at his parents’ ‘ home to pay off the debt.

The 25-year-old from Ardoyne in north Belfast was arrested on November 21 when his parents’ ‘ home on Duneden Park was raided by police.

Cops found hundreds of ecstasy pills, the mind-bending powder Thiamine, a stun-gun and quantity of cocaine worth £8,000.

Scullion”s parents had absolutely no idea their son had the items hidden in his bedroom.

Scullion declined to give evidence or call witnesses during a preliminary enquiry hearing on Thursday.

Backing prosecution submissions that he has a case to answer, Deputy District Judge Bonita Boyd ordered him to be returned for trial at Belfast Crown Court.

Scullion was released on continuing bail until that hearing gets underway on a date to be fixed.

The judge refused a defence request to have his curfew removed.