Dundalk man fined for possession of cannabis

A local man who went into prison to serve a sentence for a serious assault, came out a heroin addict, Dundalk District Court was told last week.

Gerard Soraghan (33) with an address at Ashling Crescent, Dundalk admitted a number of minor drugs possession charges at his home and also at Naughton's Close and Ecco Road on various dates in 2021.

The smallest amount was €20 worth of Cannabis and the largest was €40 worth of Heroin.

The court heard Mr. Soraghan had 21 previous convictions including assault causing harm for which he was jailed in 2017 for four years. He was released in July 2020.

The defence solicitor said her client has battled with addiction from the age of 12 when he started of on cannabis before progressing to other drugs.

She added he had never taken heroin, until he went into prison and he came out of prison, during the Covid pandemic, a heroin addict.

However the solicitor said he is now a completely changed man, having attended a residential treatment programme.

She outlined how he sought out his treatment place at St. Francis' Farm, when he couldn't access addiction services locally.

Judge Vincent Deane imposed a €200 fine for possessing cannabis at the defendant's home on March 16th 2021 and marked the rest of the offences taken into consideration.