This article is from page 9 of the 2012-03-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 9 JPG
AN unemployed stonemason was in a “very bad place” and in debt when he was found by gardaí in possession of cannabis, a court has heard.
At Ennis District Court on Wednesday, Eddie Leahy (34), with address at 58 Ardnaculla, Ennistymon, was ordered to engage with the probation and welfare services.
The court heard that the father of four had already pleaded guilty to charges of having cannabis for the purposes of sale or supply.
Garda Stephen Hession of Ennis Garda Station told the court that gardaí stopped a car driven by Leahy at Cloongowna, Kilnamona on De- cember 10 (2010).
He said cannabis was discovered in the car.
The court heard that Leahy was interviewed at Ennis Garda Station.
Garda Hession said that a search of 58 Ardnaculla, Ennistymon, carried out on the same day, uncovered three small bags of cannabis and weighing scales.
He said the estimated total value of the drugs found in both searches was € 2702.
He said Leahy had been “extremely co-operative and at no point did he hinder the investigation”.
Solicitor John Casey said his client; previously “a heavy cannabis user” had worked as stonemason but had been forced to stop because of an accident. He said he had personal debts of around € 50,000 at the time he was stopped by gardaí.
Asked by Mr Casey about his client’s circumstances at the time, Garda Hession said, “He was in a very bad place….You could tell he was a man in a vulnerable position”.
Garda Hession added, “I can say that he broke away from the scene he was in and is not smoking cannabis anymore”.
Judge Aeneas McCarthy ordered the preparation of a report by the probation and welfare services. He remanded the accused on continuing bail to appear again at Ennis District Court in May.