Courts / Dublin / Report
Vietnamese woman sentenced over cannabis cultivation a probable "victim of trafficking"
Summary
Thi Ha Pham, a 55‑year‑old Vietnamese woman, was found in a €940,000 cannabis growhouse on Lagan Road, Dublin, after a garda raid. She had been locked in the facility for over a month, living in rudimentary conditions, and had pleaded guilty to cultivation of cannabis on 20 November 2012. The court heard that she had no prior convictions and that she had been brought to Ireland without a passport by plane and truck after meeting a Vietnamese woman. She described living in the growhouse, turning lights on and off, and receiving no payment of the €800 per month she expected. Garda Neil Cepeda noted that the growhouse had sophisticated lighting and irrigation and that 1,176 mature plants were found. Judge Sarah Berkeley, noting that Ha Pham "probably was and is a victim of trafficking," imposed a three‑year sentence back‑dated to the date she entered custody.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Vietnamese woman sentenced over cannabis cultivation a probable "victim of trafficking". Charges or matters: cultivation of cannabis at the same location on November 20, 2012. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- November 20, 2012 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2015-12-17 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: cultivation of cannabis at the same location on November 20, 2012 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Sarah Berkeley said Ha Pham "probably was and is a victim of trafficking" and imposed a three year sentence, which she backdated to when the former market trader went into custody. The judge noted that Ha Pham had served two years and seven months in custody on remand, which meant the backdated sentence had now expired.
Places mentioned
- Lagan Road
- Dublin
- Dublin Industrial Estate
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
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