A TIPPERARY man who ended up walking back from Kinsale to Bandon in his new shoes after being processed at Bandon Garda Station ended up with blisters on his feet, lost his job and didn’t make the wedding he was due to attend, a court heard last week.
Hugh O’Brien (24) of Ballinamoe, Newtown, Nenagh, Co Tipperary pleaded guilty to the possession of cocaine and being drunk in a public place at Bandon District Court.
State solicitor Malachy Boohig said that the defendant was searched by Gda Ciaran Leahy in Market Square in Kinsale on March 4th last and a bag of cocaine was found on him with an estimated street value of €200.
‘He admitted it was for his own personal use and he ended up being arrested later for being drunk in a public place,’ said Mr Boohig.
Defence solicitor Tony Greenway said his client, who is a fourth year apprentice electrician, came to Kinsale with 15 others that day, but ended up having a ‘disaster of a weekend.’
‘He’s not usually a drinker but drank spirits on the bus and was drunk by the time they got to Kinsale.
‘He did sign a memo to say the cocaine was his and he was subsequently taken to Bandon Garda Station to be processed,’ said Mr Greenway.
‘He has no memory of it and he was released at 3.15am and walked back to Kinsale from Bandon.
He had new shoes on him for a wedding he was attending and his feet got all blistered as a result.’
The court heard that Mr O’Brien later lost his job when he told his employer about what happened and that he never made the wedding.
‘He never used cocaine before and he was very drunk and doesn’t even recall buying it.’
Judge James McNulty said the defendant and his 14 friends need to know that doing cocaine in Kinsale is an expensive business.
He said he would need to have €1,000 in court and adjourned the case until July 7th.
‘The court will look at options then,’ said Judge McNulty.
