Large charity donation ordered for Donegal man with €2k drugs stash
An Inishowen man has been ordered to make a €2,000 contribution to charity after being found with almost €2,000 worth of drugs.
Rioghan O Caolain appeared before Letterkenny District Court in connection with an incident on January 29, 2023 at Main Street, Muff.
Gardai were on patrol at 3.15am when they stopped a vehicle and detected a strong smell of cannabis in the car.
Officers conducted a search under the Misuse of Drugs Act and located cannabis valued at €1,920. Weighing scales were also found by Gardai in the car.
O Caolain was arrested and made full admissions.
Garda Sergeant Jim Collins told the court that he was “fully cooperative” and has no previous convictions.
O Caolain, a 25-year-old of New Road, Stroove, Greencastle, was charged with having the cannabis for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying it to others. The charge is contrary to section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 and section 27 (3) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 as substituted by section 6 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1984.
Sergeant Collins added that the accused man, who was present in court with his father, has not come to adverse attention since this incident.
The court heard that there were other people in the car and this incident was essentially a joint venture.
Judge Ciaran Liddy said that O Caolain was still “quite young” and as an encouragement to keep himself on the straight and narrow he asked that the defendant make a €2,000 contribution to the Donegal Hospice.
If this is paid within one month, he would apply section 1 (1) of the Probation of Offenders Act 1907, meaning the accused would avoid a conviction.
However, if that is not done or if O Caolain comes to the adverse attention of Gardai, the matter would proceed to a full sentencing hearing.
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