‘Farm hand’ in Louth cannabis grow house jailed for three years

By Francis Carroll, The Drogheda Independent

A ‘farm hand’ at a drugs grow house in mid-Louth has been jailed for three years.

Robertas Benevicius (32) had been living in the property at Barn Road, Dunleer, for about six months before it was raided by gardaí earlier this year.

A sentence hearing at Dundalk Circuit Court heard that the entire house had effectively been given over to the cultivation of cannabis, and that Prepay Power was used to bypass the ESB meter to avoid arousing suspicion.

Mr Benevicius, a native of Lithuania who moved to Northern Ireland five years ago, was working in the grow house to pay off a debt.

He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs with a value of €13,000 or more for sale or supply. The court was asked to take into consideration charges of possession, possession for sale or supply and cultivation of cannabis.

The haul, including harvested drugs and cannabis plants, was valued €170,000.

Gda Leon Fox said that on February 4, 2025, gardaí with a search warrant breached the front door when they got no answer.

There was a strong smell of cannabis inside. The defendant was in a bedroom.

The entire of the attic, where there were 60 mature cannabis plants, was taken up with cannabis cultivation. Two bedrooms contained “drying rooms”.

Gda Fox continued that the main ESB was bypassed using Prepay Power. In the days prior to his apprehension, Mr Benevicius had purchased Prepay Power in Centra, Dunleer.

Following his arrest at 2.45pm, he told investigators that he had been living in the house for five or six months, and that the plants had been there for over a month. The homeowner told him if he didn’t like it, he would have to get out.

However, gardaí did not accept that.

He was charged the next day and has been in custody since February 5 last.

The harvested material amounted to €122,696 and the cannabis plants €48,000, a total of €170,696.

Mr Benevicius, who had the assistance of an interpreter, has one previous conviction in Co. Armagh for possession of an offensive weapon. He was sentenced to community service.

Senior defence counsel said that his client had amassed debts, some of which were drugs related. He was a farm hand in this operation.

His partner, and his sister who worked in Scotland, were present in court and had written testimonials, as had two other people.

He had worked as a landscaper and labourer in Northern Ireland.

Mr Benevicius was doing well in custody, taking Spanish and Geography classes among others.

Judge Dara Hayes remarked this was clearly a substantial operation in what was colloquially called a cannabis grow house.

While the defendant’s role was towards the lower end of this operation it was serious offending.

The judge noted the “deleterious effect of the illicit drug trade on society” as one of the aggravating factors.

A three-and-a-half-year sentence was imposed, the last six months suspended, and backdated to February 5, 2025.