Cannabis grow house uncovered

DONEGAL MAN PLEADED GUILTY TO GROWING CANNABIS AT RENTED HOME

A 35 year old Donegal man said ‘ I’m glad I was caught’ when he pleaded guilty at Dundalk Circuit Court to cannabis cultivation at a house he rented in town.

Peter McGlanaghey, with an address at 13 Barrack Street, Dundalk admitted to offences relating to the discovery of 10 cannabis plants at the property when gardai conducted a search on November 3rd 2016.

The court was told gardai were let into the house by the accused, and found the upstairs front bedroom locked. When forced opened, gardai found 10 cannabis plants at various at stages of cultivation, insulated walls, heating lamps, fans and other cultivation equipments along with a bag containing compost and three envelopes containing leaves.

He told gardai at the scene ‘ They are my plants, for my own use.’

When arrested and interviewed by gardai, the accused said he suffered from severe anxiety, and had been taking prescribed medication. But he had begun smoking cannabis to deal with his condition.

He said he wanted to grow his own than deal with dealers.’

He took full responsibility for the find, and was ‘ compliant’ with gardai.

The court heard that McGlanaghey had seperated from his partner and was father to two children, aged six and seven years old.

His barrister described how he had previously worked as a plumber, and had worked ‘rather on a number of high profile construction projects before the property crash, after which he fell on hard times.

The death of his 19 year old sister in a car crash had also been extremely difficult for him and his family.

Suffering from insomnia and severe anxiety, he had initially been taking tablets prescribed by his GP but had changed to self medicating with cannabis. His operation to cultivate cannabis was described as ‘amateur’ which he had learned from watching a youtube video.

She added that he has since undertaken a drugs rehabilitation programme and is seeing a counsellor twice a week. He was ‘very ashamed’ of himself.

He also reduced the number of tablets he was taking from 20 to eight every day, and was hoping to get back on his feet and find employment again in the future.

Taking to the stand he said ‘I was glad gardai came in and brought this to an end. I want to get back to where I was ten years ago, as a contributor to society, and I want to carry on with my detox.’

The court was told he had five previous convictions, including two for theft and three road traffic related.

He had been convicted in January 2016 for careless driving following a ‘ hit and run’ incident, where he fled the scene.

In sentencing Judge Michael O’Shea said he was satisfied that McGlanaghey was growing the cannabis for his own use.

He added that the accused ‘certainly seemed to have turned his life around, and that there was every indication he would continue to do so.

He handed down an 18 month suspended sentence on condition that the accused enter into a bond of €200 to be of good behaviour for 18 months.