This article is from page 20 of the 2011-11-29 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 20 JPG
A MAN who was dealing drugs to 10 people to feed his own habit got a wake up call when he was caught, a court has been told.
Gerry Downey (31), of Maiville, Kilrush Road, Ennis, was before Ennis District Court on Friday charged with possession of cannabis and possession of cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply, at Government Buildings, Ennis, on March 17 last.
Inspector John Galvin told the court that the accused admitted to gardaí that the cannabis was “for distribution to other people”.
He said that the drug was valued at € 1,900.
Defending solicitor Stephen Nicholas said that his client had been in employment as a plasterer but had lost his job in the recession. He said that while he was unemployed, he lapsed into taking cannabis.
“Naivety is written all over this case,” he said.
“He admitted everything. He had hidden the stash in bushes in a housing estate.
“It was clearly visible in a field be- tween the Revenue Commissioners office and the rugby club,” said the solicitor.
“It was naive,” he said.
“He doesn’t have a car. The only thing he has is a bicycle. He admitted that he was dealing. There were 10 people in a circle to whom he was dealing. He was dealing to feed his own habit. This was probably a wake-up call for him,” said the solicitor.
Judge Aeneas McCarthy adjourned the case until January for preparation of a Probation report and sought urinalysis and toxicology reports.