19/10/2016 BBC Newsline

The abuse of a prescription drug that's wrecking lives,

one user says access is just a text away.

He see people about like zombies. They are sitting in their house like

zombies. Thinking about suicide. This man was beaten to death

with a claw hammer. A judge calls his murder

brutal and savage. A former head of the USPCA appears

in court on fraud charges. In homage to the late

Rory Gallagher, plans for a statue at his musical

home of the Ulster Hall. Following the sudden death

of head coach Anthony Foley Munster rugby has confirmed

Satuday's European cup match will go And there could a bit

of frost and fog in places tonight but a mainly fine

day follows tomorrow. Health officials have called

for a prescription drug being abused by teenagers in Northern Ireland

to be classified as a Class C drug. It is illegal to have class C drugs

without a prescription and it is illegal to supply

or sell them to others. Kelly Bonner has been

speaking to two teenagers Pregabalin, also known by the brand

name Lyrica or the street drug to hit the streets of Northern

Ireland. Doctors prescribe it

to combat epilepsy and also But there's a more

worrying background. In recent months, its been linked

to a number of deaths including those of Aarron Strong and Aaron

Fox. It was one of a cocktail of drugs

both teenagers had taken. Last year Lyrica was prescribed more

in Northern Ireland than anywhere But users are not just getting

the drug through prescriptions. They're buying it on street

corners and online. And it's very easy to buy,

it took me just ten minutes to find someone who would deliver

the drug to my home. We're calling him Joe but that's

not his real name. He's an addict and he says

Lyrica is easy to buy. Walking down the street you can get

them. On Facebook you can get them. On a phone you can get them. Walking

shopping you can get them. It is on every corner of every street.

He says the drug has affected every aspect of his life.

It is affected be and my nights. It affects everyone around you. My

family all things the worst of me. They'll put me down thinking I am a

scumbag because I take drugs. We are calling this teenager Paul,

again it's not his real name. The first time I tried it, that was

a nice hit. It makes you feel invincible and on top of the world.

That is only for a short time. Then you can see things starting to go

downhill. It's what it does, it is the other stuff. I see people

running around like zombies. All the time. If they are not out like

zombies they are sitting at home thinking about suicide and other

stuff. It is understood Lyrica has been

coming into Northern Ireland in fairly constant levels

for a number of years. And every week packages

are intercepted by the National Crime Agency

and the UK Border Agency They have been ordered by customers

across Northern Ireland. Joe Brogan, who's head

of Pharmacy at the Health He's been warning about

the potential misuse of Pregabalin for several years and,

when I spoke to him earlier, he said reclassifying it would make

it a criminal offence to have the drug

without a prescription It adds additional legality to the

possession and supply. That doesn't necessarily deal with the root cause

of the problem. I understand and appreciate that there are a lot of

other things that we need to do as a hill fog and social care system and

as a community and our family. No matter how main barriers you put in

the way, in terms of access to that medicine drug, individuals may with

criminal intent to try and get around that. We have heard the

terrible stories about people who have died. Is that the tip of the

iceberg in your view? Earlier I was asked how many. I honestly don't

know how many people are dying. I do know 100 people also die each year

because of drug-related deaths. To put that in context, that is more

people than the die on the roads in Northern Ireland. That 100 people

will be using drugs such as Thomond Park. Other drugs such as morphine.

-- Pregabalin one. Is the kind of the people using Mrs. The key

messages that 100 people die because of drug misadventure. -- using

drugs. What about people stealing drugs are getting relatives to get

the drugs from a pharmacy? GPs prescribe it when it is clinically

needed. It is there to help nerve pain. The difficulty because with

pain there is not a chemical test to find out how much pain you have got.

Listing two symptoms and try to respond positively to that. I do

believe there may be a possible way to reduce the overall volume, but

when needles are other things to support individuals who are

genuinely needing it. -- what is needed are.

What these young people thought of a career in agriculture,

A 28-year-old man has been convicted of beating a friend to death

Louis Maguire had tried to blame another man he'd been drinking with,

but a jury at Belfast Crown Court today unanimously

35-year-old Eamonn Ferguson was found beaten

He had been struck multiple times with a claw hammer.

His body was found in the living room

On the night of the murder he'd been drinking there with Louis Maguire,

who lived at the address, and another man, 33-year-old

Christopher Power, of no fixed abode.

They were arrested and charged with murder in the days after.

During the trial, both men blamed the other

Today, the jury accepted Christopher Power's account

He was acquitted of murder, but convicted of assisting an offender.

When the verdict was delivered, Maguire began shouting at the jury,

accusing them of stitching him up like his father, referring

to the fact that his father, also called Louis Maguire,

Initially, the police were told an unknown intruder had

attacked the victim up to 20 times with a hammer while the two accused

However, Power told the court he had woken up from a drunken sleep

and found Mr Ferguson lying in a pool of blood and Maguire

Sentencing Maguire to life in prison, Mr Justice Deeny

described the murder as brutal and savage.

He told Maguire the attack took place while Mr Ferguson had been

a guest in his house and in no position to defend himself.

Christopher Power will be sentenced for his part next month.

BBC Newsline, at the Crown Court in Belfast.

A woman accused of murder has accepted that she's told a tissue

A trial at Belfast Crown Court has been hearing evidence for a second

day from Shauneen Boyle who is jointly accused of murdering

Owen Creaney at a house in Craigavon two years ago.

During cross-examination by counsel for her co-accused Stephen Hughes,

the woman said that she told lies to the police about what happened

because she'd been petrified after being arrested.

Stephen Philpott, the former head of the animal welfare charity,

the USPCA has appeared in court on fraud charges.

Our reporter Martin Cassidy was at Newry courthouse.

Stephen Philpott, the former chief executive of the animal welfare

charity, arrived at Newry courthouse charged with five criminal offences.

They include two charges of conspiring to defraud

and of possessing and concealing criminal property, namely cash.

The 53-year-old is accused of fraud in the receipt of rental income due

to the USPA and in the creation of a false job in the organisation

for a 52-year-old woman who has been reported to the Public Prosecution

The charges allege that over a nine year period beginning in 2006

Stephen Philpott conspired in creating false employment

in the USPCA with the intention of making a financial gain himself,

and this while being in a position in which he was expected

to safeguard the interests of the animal welfare charity.

The investigation was triggered after the USPCA reported suspected

Stephen Philpott told the court he understood the charges.

He was released on bail of ?250 with the stipulation that he is not

allowed to make contact with any past or present

He will appear in court again next month.

The Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness says he has no faith

that the Secretary of State will deliver for people

But James Brokenshire insists he is the right man for the job.

It comes as a former Taoiseach told business leaders in Londonderry

that their voices may not be heard in Brussels.

Our political correspondent Enda McClafferty reports.

Bertie Ahern always considered himself a political bridge builder

But now he's worried the political landscape he helped shape is under

threat because of a link which is about to be broken.

If we were to go back to what is a custom border that is controlling

people, I think certainly wouldn't be good. It would not be good for

business or trade or tourism. Unfortunately, it could have a

knock-on to those that don't like what we have achieved.

The former taoiseach was in Derry for a conference on the economic

He told delegates, as someone who has spent 20 years

negotiating in Brussells, it will be hard to get

This is the man who will have the Prime Minister ear

during the negotiations and though he isnt part of Theresa May core

Brexit team he feels his voice will be heard.

I am able to attend meetings of that committee where there are Northern

Ireland related issues and I am confident that I am able to

represent Northern Ireland's views and perspective into the Brexit

consideration. Absolutely remain at the heart of discussions across

Whitehall in ensuring that the voice of Northern Ireland is heard loud

and clear. But The Deputy First Minister Martin

McGuinness who also addressed the conference in Derry has no faith

in the secretary I don't trust this British

Government to negotiate on our behalf. I don't believe this British

Government has the best interests of the people of Northern Ireland at

heart. This was the same players who brought us to the disaster that was

wrecked it. These are the people who have infighting within the Tory

party. They have brought us to a point where we are now dealing with

the mess that they have created. This is the line which is going to

dominated the brexit negotiations, Its almost invisible right now

and the question is will the border be as hard to see once the brexit

negotiations are completed by march Thats the big question

which is long way Enda McClafferty BBC newsline

on the Derry Donegal border. The President of Colombia

will arrive in Northern Ireland next month as part of a State Visit

to the UK. President Santos won this

year's Nobel Peace Prize. Our political editor

Mark Devenport is in our newsroom I think this visit by President

Santos is important because it indicates the importance that the

Colombian see with Ireland as well as what they are doing in Colombia.

They have run into trouble because they have not passed a referendum

but they are intent on keeping the ceasefire on track and they are

working forwards. Previously, back in 2001, the Northern Ireland

Colombian connection might have been thought to be embarrassment because

the Republicans were arrested for trading rebels. Now it is seen as

positive that we have been helping them.

Also, the photographer from Londonderry who has got the job of

spending five months inside the Arctic Circle taking pictures of the

Northern lights. He's the guitar hero who made

Belfast his musical home. And two decades after his death,

a statue of Rory Gallagher is set to go up in the city,

as our Arts Correspondent MUSIC PLAYS

Gone but never forgotten. Rory Gallagher was originally from

Donegal, and those who plays with him say his heart was always in

Belfast. Rory's home was the world. He travelled all his working life.

So, his home was the world. His spiritual home was Belfast. It was

Belfast he decided to come to when he decided he was going to do his

thing. He influenced guitarists like Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.

MUSIC PLAYS But according to fans, it was at the

Ulster Hall where his most legendary gigs happen. His local fans have

been raising money for a statue that. Is that you itself will be an

almost life-sized statue of Rory. It will be two metres high. The music

of the Ulster Hall and the music to me personally, Rory never left us in

Belfast. He is an icon that Queen to people. They all came together for

him. Now that planning position has been granted, it is hoped that Rory

will be seen again here at his musical home next summer.

Now, if you fancy a career in agriculture, but don't want

the hassle of running a farm then a job in the science of food

More than 100 teenagers have been to a farm to find out more

and our Agriculture and Environment Correspondent Conor Macauley went

The first obstacle to getting into agri food is getting

into the biosecurity suits that are everyday wear in it.

That overcome, scores of teenagers from schools across Northern Ireland

They were at the Agri Food and Biosciences Institute

It does much of the science that underpins this key industry.

You have got the university sector can be difficult the research

institutes like ourselves. You have got big food manufacturers that need

top scientists. Much of farming

is now high tech. This event was about encouraging

teenagers with the interest to consider agricultural

science not just farming, but an affinity with animals

is the first requirement. I just like handling and working

with them. I'd only have any interest in anything else. This is

the first thing that Agri have done anything like this on this scale.

150 kids being shown the ropes here. More schools are now

offering agriculture as an option at GCSE and higher levels,

at Omagh CBS, the We have now got 16 year 11 and there

are 12 boys in the 12th. We have gone to offer a BTEC for the A-level

equivalent. And with some schools switching

from London to Northern Ireland exam boards for science,

city kids are having to get to grips with the agricultural elements

of the new syallabus. It is a difficult leap for some city

kids who have never really had the appreciation of seeing a cow outside

their bedroom window. The entire industry is facing

challenges at the minute, but our reliance on agri food means

opportunities for young Going to work on a sleigh

pulled by huskies. It is for a photographer

from Eglinton who can't wait to start a new challenge

in the Artic Circle. Tyler always have a passion for

photography. She can often be found exploring -- you can often be found

exploring the north-west for the perfect picture. He has always been

fascinated by the aurora borealis. It is caused by collisions between

electrically charged particles released by the sun. On the Earth's

atmosphere, they collect the lash -- Tyler has now landed his dream job

was bidding the next months in the Arctic Circle photographing the

Northern lights and helping tourists to do the same. I will be travelling

around remote locations. The Torres could have come from America,

Singapore, China, Australia. They are not got the chance to see the

Northern lights. It will be my job to show them the magic of the

Northern lights. Once they have seen it, they will be jumping for joy

like me. The Northern lights are extremely popular. BBC newsline

weather team is regularly inundated by photographs from the public. You

need to go out in the middle of nowhere. The north coast or the

Italy match is coastal is said and wait until it happens. It can be

ours, but it can be very cold because skies have to be clear.

Tyler has created many images are all sorts of diverse locations. Over

the coming months, he hopes that he can get the picture of a lifetime.

Good luck to him. Now, plenty of you have been

commenting on the BBC Newsline Facebook page on the story

we brought you last night about Belfast City Council

apologising to thousands of householders for not

informing them of a change Letters were supposed to be

sent out last month, collection day is being urged

to check online on the City Council website or phone

the council on 028 90270230. Munster's European Champions Cup

match against Glasgow Warriors will go ahead as planned

at Thomond Park on Saturday. The sudden death of Head coach

Anthony Foley left the club Today, Munster rugby officials

confirmed the match will go ahead. Anthony Foley's funeral will take

place in his native Killaloe A postmortem examination in France

revealed the 42-year-old died of of a build up

of fluid in the lungs caused These are desperately difficult days

for Munster Rugby. They are grieving and struggling to make sense of

their loss. Yes, it is hurting. Yesterday's postmortem confirmed

that Anthony Foley died as a build-up of fluid on his lungs full

of his body was due back in Ireland today. I know the players have so

much respect for him that they are trying to get on with things and

trying to do the job the way we think and know Anthony would want to

get on with things. That is what makes is committed to get a proper

performance out there. Because that is the way we are trying to handle

that. Knowing that that is the way that he would have wanted us to do

it. For now, rugby seems unimportant. Saturday's match

unimportant. But they believe their head coach would have wanted the

show to go on. I'm not going to do him justice here. All the words I

could say to be honest, every team and supporter or his jersey. I

suppose you can't put that into words. For all of his undoubted

coaching capacity, it is as a leader of men at the field of play that

Anthony Foley will best be remembered. Anthony Foley that died

suddenly at the weekend after this weekend's game, Munster's next game

will be against Ulster. Louis Ludik has agreed

a three-year contract extension with Ulster Rugby,

which will keep the South African Ruan Piennar is recovering

from an injury picked up at the weekend, but along

with Charles Piatau is expected to return for Saturdays

Champions Cup fixture Charles is going through his return

to plate protocols. He is positive. He has a slight knee issue. The

jarred his knee, all scans are clear. He might be a chance to play.

I will be a plus for us. Linfield have missed out

on the opportunity to go top They lost 2-1 to Gerard

Lyttles Cliftonville at Solitude last night,

where the opening goal came Daniel Hughes goes down under

pressure. And penalty kick awarded by the referee. The referee was well

placed, but the awarded penalty was contentious. Significantly, it was

also converted. What can knows do? His flaws. That IQ scores. Linfield

to draw level through this Paul Smith header. But back came the

hosts. The move of the game resulting in the goal of the game.

It is 212 them. It was busy in the first half. The football was very

good. We have always been a team that has been unbeaten in the

league. David has the Linfield team play very well. The massive game for

us tonight. Cliftonville set forth in the table. Linfield remain

second. And the Grid said as top of the table. They have been top of the

table every day since November 2000 and 15. That is a good record.

Letters get the weather now. Andy it is a bit of a mixed picture

at the moment. It is it is settling down. If you

look up at night time, you can see hopefully the Orion meteors. That is

a big week concedes a night. I pressure has been building. The

winds has been moving down as well. Some lovely morning sunshine shining

onto the base of the clouds as well, giving a lovely purple hue. Some of

those showers -- showers did produce showers. Through the course of the

night apart from the odd coastal night it stays mainly dry full stop

it is also going to be quite chilly with those clear skies will stop

tempered as five or 6 degrees. Close to freezing in parts of the

countryside, so we are looking at some ground frost. Isolated pockets

of frost into air mist and fog as well. With clear skies, you might

catch a glimpse of one of those meteors. To wrap up warmly. Into

tomorrow, a fine day is on the way. A lot

of dry weather. Spells of sunshine, although if you do start off with

Mystic could be a bit grey and eerie first thing. You might not have a

castle and it might not necessarily be here, but further inland that is

where you are going to see some mist and fog. After a chilly start, once

the sun gets up, that will burn off and really we are looking at plenty

of sunshine tomorrow. Some patchy cloud up towards Donegal. Lots of us

will cease in sunny sky. A bit of cloud. Generally, you will be very

unlucky to catch those. Ice of this degrees. To begin with tomorrow

night we still have the clear skies. Released in areas we can get a touch

of frost again. Generally speaking, cloud is going to be increasing

frost-free in the west where we get some patchy rain moving into was the

end of the night. That could linger in the west and into Friday as well.

A cloudy day. It will start to pull away. Maybe start to brighten up.

That rain moves away and for the weekend it is fine again. A lot of

dry weather. Some sunshine by day. Some clear spells. Becoming breezy

on Sunday. Thank you, I will be back with my late news. Until then, enjoy

your evening. Have a very good night.