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Dublin man to be sentenced later for holding cannabis to pay off drugs debt

Summary

James Butler, 33, of Tallaght, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 1.3 kg of cannabis herb, valued at €27,424, which he had stored in two sport bags at his home. The drugs were discovered after Gardaí forced entry on 3 April 2013. Butler, who has 27 prior convictions mainly for traffic and criminal damage offences, explained that he had abandoned heroin use just before Christmas that year but still owed a debt for his addiction. He admitted he did not know the value of the cannabis when it was dropped at his door. The case was adjourned by Judge Mary Ellen Ring to March 6 to allow a Probation Service assessment of Butler's commitment to addressing his addiction. He remains remanded on bail pending sentencing.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Dublin man to be sentenced later for holding cannabis to pay off drugs debt. Charges or matters: having 1.3 Kg of the drug at his home on April 3, 2013. Procedural stage: charge_or_pretrial

When:

• April 3, 2013 Adjournment
• March 6 Adjournment
• Christmas Other
• 2014-12-01 Publication

Why: A man who held over €27,000 worth of cannabis herb in order to pay off a debt he had run up from abusing heroin has been remanded on bail pending sentence. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Charge Or Pretrial

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Read the original CNI report