‘More than a bit of weed’ | Nenagh Guardian

“It was more than a bit of weed,” stated Judge Marie Keane in Nenagh District Court, when dealing with a man who claimed that the ounce and a half of cannabis found in his possession for his own personal use.

“It would take some time for a person to get through,” continued Judge Keane in relation to a seizure at the home of Christopher McCarthy (35) of Ros na Cronan, Roscrea. Mr McCarthy admitted to gardaí that it was cannabis and said it was for his own personal use and “apologised for his stupid mistake and for lying”.

However, gardaí were under the impression that it would have taken Mr McCarthy up to six weeks to consume the cannabis and that it was not for his own personal use. Due to Mr McCarthy being a recipient of social welfare, they did not believe that he had the funds required to buy the amount of cannabis that was found for his own personal use. Mr McCarthy said he paid €400 for the cannabis.

He had 36 previous convictions, two of them for the possession of drugs. Mr McCarthy was drug free now and said this incident had been a “wake-up call”.

Judge Keane said that the sale and supply of drugs was “unacceptable and not tolerated,” and sentenced Mr McCarthy to three months in prison, which was suspended for a period of two years in his own bond of €100.