Limerick man bought cannabis ‘in bulk’ to supply friends, court hears

A LIMERICK man who admitted buying cannabis “in bulk” to share with a small group of friends has avoided an immediate prison sentence.

Stephen Mahon, aged 25, who has an address at Fisherman’s Quay, Grove Island pleaded guilty to possession of a quantity of cannabis herb, for the purpose of sale or supply, on October 19, 2017.

Inspector Paul Reidy told Limerick District Court that almost 29 gramms of the drug was seized when the defendant’s home was searched by gardai as part of an intelligence-led operation.

The street value of the cannabis herb, he added, was €578.

Solicitor Sarah Ryan said her client, who has 16 previous convictions, had accepted responsibility for the drugs following his arrest.

He also gave gardai a full explanation as to how he came to have them.

During interview, the defendant told gardai he was not selling the drugs but accepted he had intended supplying them to a small group of friends who had pooled their money together.

“He didn’t have them for sale,” said Ms Ryan who told the court that Mr Mahon had collected the drugs on behalf of the group and that cost was divided equally between them.

“It was cheaper to buy it in bulk,” said adding that her client had paid around €150 for the cannabis herb,

The solicitor said her client, who works for a family business in the city centre, did not identify his friends or the dealer to gardai.

Urging the court to be lenient, she said Mr Mahon, who has used cannabis in the past, is not an addict and was not seeking sympathy.

Judge Marian O’Leary was told while the defendant used to consume cannabis “quiet a bit” in the past he is making efforts to address his problems and is currently “attending a programme”.

Having considered the matter, Judge O’Leary noted it was the defendant who was before the court and not his friends,

She said she his admissions and guilty plea were mitigating factors.

Noting he is working, she fined the defendant €500 – giving him five months to pay.

Given the seriousness of the charge, she also imposed a three month prison sentence which she suspended for two years.

The lesser charge of simple possession of the drugs was taken into consideration.