Derry drugs accused naming ban

6 August 2012 Last updated at 02:59 ET

A judge in Londonderry has banned the naming of three men accused of drugs charges because of safety concerns.

District Judge Barney McElhom said criminal elements in the city had targeted suspects after using media reports to identify them.

The three men, aged 44, 30 and 21, have been remanded in custody.

They are charged in connection with the discovery of 150,000 of cannabis in a house and in a car at Blackthorn Manor in Derry on Friday.

Mr McElhom imposed an anonymity order in relation to media reports on the hearing.

Under the order the defendants names and addresses cannot be made public nor can the date of their next video link remand be reported.

Mr McElhom said he had extensively researched the law and higher court rulings in relation to anonymity orders.

In making the order the district judge said he did so under the European Court Right to Life legislation. He said he believed there was a risk to the defendants from certain criminal elements in society.

He said in the past these elements used media reports to ascertain the identity of certain people and in this case the anonymity order was appropriate.

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Derry drugs accused naming ban