Fast food delivery driver denies offering drugs to Limerick customers
A FORMER food delivery driver has denied, in court, offering to sell cannabis to customers in Limerick when bringing fast food to their homes.
At Ennis District Court, Judge Mary Larkin imposed a two month prison term on married father-of-one, Renan Ricardo Da Costa when convicting him of the possession of cannabis with intent to sell or supply despite his denials.
The offence occurred at Glendermot House, Monaskeha, Clonlara, County Clare on February 23, 2022.
Judge Larkin also fined the 29-year-old for possession of the cannabis on the same date.
In court, Sergeant Aiden Lonergan said that gardai recovered 25 separate ‘deal bags' containing cannabis that were found in a Just Eat orange bag, used for the delivery of food, in Mr Da Costa’s car.
The defendant, who has an addresses at Glendermot House, Monaskeha, Clonlara and at Bru Na Gruadan, Castletroy, Limerick told the court that he worked for Just Eat for five months and had delivered food for the likes of McDonalds and Burger King in the Limerick area.
Mr Da Costa agreed with Sgt Lonergan that his work for Just Eat allowed him to travel door-to-door delivering fast food.
Sgt Lonergan asked: “When you were delivering food for Just Eat did anyone ever ask you for cannabis?”
In response, Mr Da Costa said: ‘no’.
He also replied ‘no’ when Sgt Lonergan asked: “Did you ever offer anyone cannabis for sale when delivering a Big Mac or a pizza?”
Sgt Lonergan said forensic tests found that 124.5 grams of cannabis was recovered from Mr Da Costa’s Just Eat bag with a street value of €2,490. An additional €2,600 in cash was also found in his possession.
The sergeant said the amount of cannabis stored in the Just Eat bag taken together with the large amount of cash indicates that the purpose of the drugs was the sale and supply.
However, Mr Da Costa denied this: “I don’t sell drugs. I am a normal person. I just work,” he said.
Mr Da Costa said that he was a cannabis user and smoked cannabis twice a day. “I didn’t sell drugs, I am not involved in selling. I just use it," he stated.
In relation to the cash, Mr Da Costa - who has eight previous convictions - said he saves at home. He added that he thought he purchased 90 grams of cannabis for €700. He said that the cannabis would do him for one and a half months.
Solicitor Tara Godfrey said her instructions were that Mr Da Costa used the drugs for his personal use and that the car was used as a "smoking booth".
She said this was because Mr Da Costa’s mother-in-law was staying with him at the time and that he didn’t wish to smoke cannabis while she was staying.
Ms Godfrey asked Judge Larkin to view Mr Da Costa as an addict rather than someone higher up the scale and not having a background in this type of offending.
Ms Godfrey asked Judge Larkin not to impose a custodial sentence on her client who, she said, has been living in Ireland for four years.