A FATHER who found over €3,000 worth of cocaine in his son’s bedroom was praised at last week’s sitting of Castlebar Circuit Court for informing gardaí instead of keeping the matter ‘in-house’.
Richard Moore of 6 Dromconlon Close, Castlebar contacted gardaí on December 4, 2009 after he found cocaine concealed in the skirting board of his son’s bedroom. Michael Moore (20) of the same address pleaded guilty to the possession of 44 grammes of cocaine with a street value of €3,175.90.
Mr Moore said he phoned the gardaí because he would ‘not have that stuff in my house’ and he would accept the sentence handed down by the court even if it meant going to prison. Judge Tony Hunt told Mr Moore that his son had him to thank for not going to prison, and asked how many parents would be as brave if they were in the same position.
Garda Aidan Fallon explained that he found two bags in Michael Moore’s bedroom which were concealed behind the skirting board. He also found a digital weighing scales and a total of 44 grammes, which has a street value of €70 a gramme.
The court heard that Mr Moore did not deny the cocaine was hit but was not helpful and said the drugs were for his personal use. He said he had the weighing scales for making cakes, prompting Judge Hunt to ask Garda Fallon if he took the explanation with a ‘gramme of salt’.
Garda Fallon said he would come across Mr Moore on numerous occasions out at night in Castlebar but has not come to the attention of the gardaí since.
The court heard that Richard Moore raised his son on his own and agreed that he was a bit spoilt.
Judge Hunt told Michael Moore that he considered him bringing ‘that stuff into a decent house as an unforgivable sin as well as a crime’.
He said his father’s behaviour was ‘exemplary’ and believed that with the supervision of his father, Mr Moore could put his life back on track.
He sentenced Mr Moore to three years imprisonment but suspended the sentence for three years on the condition he keeps to the peace and comes under the supervision of the probation service for 12 months.
Violent Disorder
Meanwhile, Mr Moore was also sentenced to 180 hours community service in lieu of 18 months imprisonment after he was involved in a violent disorder near the Aldi carpark at Garryduff, Castlebar on September 5, 2009. Mary Lawrence (18) of 34 Rathbaun Avenue, Castlebar and two other minors were also given the same sentence for their part in the attack while a fifth person, Laura O’Brien of Windsor, Castlebar was considered not suitable for community service at the present time because of a medical condition.
The group had taken part in an attack on a 19-year-old who was hit in the head with football socks filled with rocks in order to steal his phone. The court heard that the principal aggressor was an English person who has yet to come before the court and the five others had joined in the beating by kicking and punching the victim while he was on the ground.
Judge Hunt said that in the normal circumstances he would impose a custodial sentence but felt that because they pleaded guilty and were not the ‘main movers’, he would impose a community service order.
