Cork man caught with €2.7k of cannabis should get 'about eight months' in jail, says judge
Court presenter, Inspector Michael Hogan, told a recent sitting of Youghal District Court that gardaí attended to a report of an intoxicated male in Carrigtwohill in East Cork on August 24, 2023. When they spoke to the man, identified as Conor Curley, aged 56 of Knockaverry, Youghal, Co Cork, they noticed a strong smell of cannabis.
Mr Curley was searched and cannabis with a street value of €1,260 was discovered on his person. A further search was carried out at Mr Curley's home in Youghal where cannabis valued at €1,500 was also discovered.
The court heard that Mr Curley made full admissions and was fully co-operative with gardaí. The court was told that in a statement given after his arrest Mr Curley had admitted giving cannabis 'to a fella working for me' as part payment.
Insp. Hogan said that the accused man had seven previous convictions including one for possession of drugs while the remainder were all road traffic related.
Defence solicitor, Vicki Buckley, said that Mr Curley had suffered a serious injury in 2023 and during the period from March to August of that year he was using cannabis to self-medicate. Ms Buckley said that Mr Curley had 'gone through a period of his life when he was dependent' but had not come to garda attention since.
She added that he had recently taken up employment as a bus driver where strict policies were in place to prevent illegal drug use. Judge Brian O'Shea said he did not believe that Mr Curley had such an amount of drugs on his person for medicinal purposes.
The judge said that the appropriate sentence would be 'about eight months'. He added: 'What does it say to the public that somebody can have €1,260 worth of cannabis on them and another €1,500 at home and expect to walk out of court?'
Judge O'Shea adjourned the case to March 11, 2026, to allow Mr Curley time to gather €4,000 for a charity donation. He warned that if the donation was not handed to the court on that date that Mr Curley could expect an eight-month sentence.
This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Man bought goods in Cork Lidl store with lost bank card, court hears
A Polish man who found a lost bank debit card used it to buy goods in a local supermarket without the owner's consent, the district court has heard. Sergeant Eimear O'Connell told Skibbereen District Court that Tomas Zielinski, aged 58, of Cork Simon, Mill House, Anderson's Quay, Cork, was charged with one count of handling stolen property and one count of theft relating to an incident in 2021. The court was told the injured party had lost her TSB bank card in Skibbereen, which had subsequently been found by Zielinski, who was residing in the area at the time. The court heard on October 20, 2021, Zielinski went into the Lidl supermarket in Skibbereen and used the injured party's bank card to purchase goods to the value of €33.83. Defence solicitor Margaret Collins said her client had brought €100 in compensation to court for the injured party, and had admitted the offences. Judge Joanne Carroll said it was a positive step that the injured party had been compensated and she adjourned the case to October 28 for the preparation of a probation report. This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Man convicted for possession of drugs is 'at a crossroads', says judge
A young man who admitted three counts of possessing illegal drugs has reached a crossroads in his life, according to a district court judge. Court presenter Sergeant Eimear O'Connell told Skibbereen District Court that Kyle Fahy, aged 22, of Pairc Goodman, Pound Hill, Skibbereen, had pleaded guilty to one count of possessing cocaine and two counts of possessing cannabis. Fahy admitted to the possession of cannabis at his residence on November 7, 2024, and to the possession of cannabis and cocaine also at his residence on January 12, 2025. The court was told that Fahy had eight previous convictions mostly for public order offences as well as one for drug driving and one for criminal damage. Defence solicitor Margaret Collins said that her client had 'struggled quite a bit' with addiction to drugs and alcohol but had been clean for two months and was currently half way through a 10-week drug treatment programme. She added that Fahy was due to start employment in a fish factory next week and was also engaging with mental health services. Judge Joanne Carroll commended Fahy on his progress and said he was now 'at a crossroads' in his life and needed to make the decision to stay off drugs. She placed Fahy on a probation bond for 12 months on one possession charge on condition he attends all Probation Service appointments, completes his drug treatment programme and engages with mental health services. The cocaine possession charge was struck out and the second cannabis charge was taken into consideration. This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
Irish Examiner
2 days ago
- Irish Examiner
Cork woman, 60, tells court she was left to 'hitch hike home in the dark' following arrest
A 60-year-old woman who was convicted of three public order offences and obstruction has told the district court she was left to hitchhike home in the dark following her arrest in October 2024. Ann O'Neill, of Mardyke Street, Skibbereen, appeared at Skibbereen District Court before Judge Joanne Carroll where her case was due for finalisation. At a previous hearing, O'Neill was convicted on two counts of intoxication in a public place, one count of threatening and abusive behaviour and one count of obstructing a peace officer. Her solicitor, Colette McCarthy, told the court O'Neill had suffered serious personal tragedy in her life, had been diagnosed with cancer, and had also been given notice to leave her accommodation by September. She said her client was anxious to address the court, as she did not do so at the time of her conviction, and Judge Carroll agreed to allow O'Neill to address the court. O'Neill said her dealings with the court arose from an incident in October 2024 following a visit to her GP, who had requested a welfare check be carried out. On foot of the welfare check, O'Neill was arrested in the early afternoon and taken from her home in Skibbereen to Clonakilty Garda Station. O'Neill told the court her mobile phone was on low charge and she had no money, and her sister was not informed of where she had gone. She told the court she was released after 8pm but was told she could not be brought home because the gardaí were not insured to do so. She said she walked to a petrol station in Clonakilty to see if they could charge her phone for her but they were unable to do so, and she was forced to hitchhike back to Skibbereen in the dark. Judge Joanne Carroll said she understood O'Neill 'had a lot of tragedy in her life' but the reality was for a positive outcome she would have to engage with alcohol treatment services. She acknowledged O'Neill had no previous convictions, but a probation report submitted to the court was 'not as good as it could be', as O'Neill had only attended one of three appointments. The judge said she was concerned about O'Neill's wellbeing, but could not alter the findings of the case that was heard by another judge. The judge said she would seek an addendum probation report and told O'Neill that she must fully engage with the Probation Service, alcohol treatment serves, mental health services and bereavement counselling in the meantime. This article is funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
