Dundalk Democrat: Suspended sentence for cannabis charge

A 31 year old man who told gardai he was holding over €6,000 worth of cannabis herb to pay off part of his cocaine debt, was given a two and half year suspended sentence at Dundalk Circuit Court last week.

Thomas Preston with an address at Doolargy Avenue, Muirhevnamore, Dundalk pleaded guilty to having cannabis herb for sale or supply at his home on June second 2021.

The defendant was not at home when gardai executed a search warrant  but his mother showed the officers his bedroom, where they recovered a plastic bag in a drawer containing cannabis herb, which had a street value at the time of 6, 276.

Empty plastic bags, weighing scales and what appeared to be a ‘tick list’ were also seized.

The defendant who had 14 previous convictions, when interviewed initially told gardai he was minding the drugs for someone and he didn’t know the value.

He said he was minding the cannabis herb for ‘a good while’ but said he couldn’t say who for, and denied selling it.

He also claimed the weighing scales were for ‘his own weed’.

In a further interview he exercised his right to silence, but when pressed again, he said if he’d refused to pay his debt he’d ‘be in big trouble’ and was too scared of the consequences.

The court heard the defendant, who developed a cocaine addiction in his late 20s, was told the dealer would take €300 off his debt.

Judge Dara Hayes noted the defendant claims to be now free of drugs.

He had no previous for having drugs for sale or supply and two unlawful possession convictions, related to having cannabis and cocaine within days of the search and he has not come to adverse attention since then.

He suspended the two and a half year sentence he imposed in full on the defendant placing himself under the supervision of the Probation Service, and on condition that he engages with addiction services as directed, provides clear urines and engages with the training and employment office of the Irish Association for Social Inclusion Opportunities.