A Bonniconlon man hid over €6,000 worth of cannabis in a hayshed on his grandmother’s farm, last week’s sitting of Ballina District Court heard.
David Smith (21) of Carralavin, Bonniconlon, Ballina pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale and supply after 421.7 grammes of the drug were recovered on his grandmother’s land.
Detective Sergeant Jim Caden explained that Gardaí had Mr Smith and the farm at Rathroedaun, Bonniconlon under surveillance after receiving confidential information and they obtained a search warrant. On February 12, 2011 he observed Mr Smith and his brother arriving in a car and he approached Mr Smith.
Mr Smith went into a hay shed and gave the gardaí two packs of cannabis which had a street value of €6,747.20. A further search of the farm took place but nothing else was recovered.
When asked by Judge Mary Devins if the defendant told gardaí who he got the drugs from, Det Sgt Caden said he didn’t because of the people involved but he knew who gave him the drugs.
Under questions from Ms Laura Spellman, solicitor for the defendant, Det Sgt Caden acknowledged he had co-operated fully with the gardaí and he had no previous convictions. Ms Spellman said her client was a ‘small time player’ who was addicted to cannabis and who gave most of the cannabis to his friends.
Mr Smith said he was embarrassed by the shame he brought on his family and that he attended Hope House in April to deal with his addiction. He said he started taking cannabis when he was 17-years-old and had been supplying for a year and a half ‘on and off’.
Judge Devins said she wanted urinalysis reports to show he had stopped taking drugs and also ordered the preparation of a probation report for February 14 next.
