A DISTRICT court judge asked a dad if he had thought about giving up smoking cannabis after he handed him a six-month suspended sentence for the possession of cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply.
Judge James McNulty was dealing with the case of Paul O’Mahony (53) at a recent sitting of Bandon District Court.
Mr O’Mahony of Collins Apts, Main Street, Drimoleague, had previous pleaded guilty to the possession of cannabis and the possession of cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply on December 22nd 2022.
Defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client is a single man and father to a six-year-old child with special needs who does not live with him.
‘During the time of the offence he lost his own mother in Bandon and following her death, he was going back and forth to clear her house.
On one occasion he purchased an ounce of cannabis for his own personal use,’ said Mr Taaffe.
‘Once word got out, people started pestering him for some of the cannabis. It was a case of people asking him for the drugs rather than actively selling it. He admitted he would give and share with others and they would do the same.’
Mr Taaffe added that the amount his client had bought was to tie him over the Christmas period.
‘He is disputing that he’s a dealer in the true sense. It was sharing and not for profit,’ he asid.
However, Judge James McNulty said the text messages that were examined on Mr O’Mahony’s phone say otherwise and he was a supplier.
Taking into consideration his circumstances, he sentenced him to six months on the sale or supply charge but suspended it for two years on the usual conditions that he agree to keep the peace, be of good behaviour and commit no
offence.
‘If he re-offends – even on a possession of drugs charge – the suspended sentence can be activated,’ said Judge McNulty, who asked if Mr O’Mahony had thought about giving up smoking cannabis.
He also convicted and fined him a total of €200 on two possession charges, giving him 90 days to pay.
