This article is from page 12 of the 2008-09-16 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 12 JPG
A POLISH man has been charged in connection with the discovery of a haul of €30,000 worth of cannabis near Sixmilebridge earlier this year.
Dariusz Ziontkowski (24), of Brack- voan, Bruff, County Limerick, is ac- cused of possession of cannabis and possession for the purpose of sale or supply, at Cloontra, Sixmilebridge, last February. |
Garda Sean O Murcht told Shan- non District Court last Thursday that he arrested the accused the previous day. He applied to the court to re- mand the accused in custody.
Defending solicitor Daragh Hassett applied for bail for his client. Howev- er the garda said there were a number of reasons for the application to re- mand the defendant in custody.
These included the seriousness of the charges and that there may be a flight risk. He said the accused is a Polish national with a temporary ad- dress in Bruff.
“These charges follow a search of a property last February. The accused fled to Poland three days after the incident and only returned in recent weeks,” he said.
Garda O Murchu said the quantity of the drugs discovered was two-and- a-half kilos, with an estimated value of €30,000.
However, Mr Hassett said his client has lived in Ireland for the past four years and has no previous convic- tions.
‘He can give his passport to the State and is prepared to sign on three times a day. He is prepared to have a cash surety brought before the court,” said Mr Hassett.
Judge Joseph Mangan then asked the garda did he observe the drugs being found on the premises and the garda said he had. The judge refused bail and remanded the accused in custody to appear again in court later this month.
Asked to clarify his reasons for re- fusing bail, he said, “Based on the gravity of the charges and the evi- dence given to the effect the accused was caught red-handed, caught in the act, and the reasonable apprehension of the State that the accused will not avbuemey one