Drug dealer is jailed for six months
MAN (32) HAD OVER €16K WORTH OF CANNABIS AT HIS HOME BUT COULD NOT SAY WHERE HE GOT IT AS HE FEARED FOR HIS LIFE
A drug dealer who was caught with over €16,000 worth of cannabis has been jailed for six months.
Aurimas Bagdonas of Apartment 1, Comhownagh, Ballisodare was sentenced to two and a half years in prison with the final two years suspended for possession of cannabis for sale or supply.
Judge Francis Comerford said the 32 year old had been ‘caught red handed’ thanks to great police work.
At Sligo Circuit Court Prosecuting Barrister Mr Leo Mulrooney, instructed by State Solicitor, Ms Elisa McHugh that on April 11 th, 2019 outlined how gardaí stopped Bagdonas in his car in Ballisodare and searched the vehicle after smelling cannabis.
Bagdonas handed over a cannabis grinder, but gardaí subsequently found €200 worth of cannabis herb underneath the gear stick.
The court was told that due to the fashion in which the cannabis was wrapped gardaí believed Bagdonas had wrapped them himself and may have more.
He was conveyed to Ballymote Garda Station and admitted the cannabis was his. The following day a search under warrant was carried out at his home and in total 823.9grams of cannabis was discovered estimated to be valued at €16,478.
Bagdonas again admitted the cannabis was his but when pushed as to where he got it he said he could not talk about it as he feared for his life.
Garda Kevin Donegan told the court he asked Bagdonas if he was under threat and he replied, ‘Ya, ya’.
He told gardaí the cannabis was ‘on tick’ and he would now owe for the drugs. Asked how long it would take him to sell the cannabis, the defendant said he wasn’t sure as it was his first time.
He told gardaí he started smoking cannabis heavily when the relationship with his partner broke down.
The court was told he has a two year old son who has been taken out of the jurisdiction and Bagdonas is currently trying to gain access to see him.
Judge Francis Comerford was told Bagdonas had four previous convictions, all for public order offences resulting from two incidents.
Mr Keith O’Grady BL, defending, instructed by Mr Tom
MacSharry, solicitor, put it to Garda Donegan that his client had said ‘yes’ when asked if he was holding the drugs in order to pay a debt, to which the garda agreed.
A probation report outlined Bagdonas was at ‘moderate risk’ of re offending and needed to address his mental health issues and stay away from negative influences.
In mitigation, Mr O’Grady said his client had never been before the Circuit Court.
)He also said that as a result of Covid-19 restrictions the Probation Service could not fully get to the bottom of Bagdonas’ issues.
Bagdonas admitted to the Probation Service that he is still taking cannabis in order to sleep and to deal with his mental health issues.
Mr O’Grady said his client would abide by any direction of the court. He said Bagdonas was in full time employment before Covid-19.
Judge Comerford said drug dealing does serious harm to society and said it was rare that anyone who had pleaded guilty to the Section 15 possession of drugs for sale and supply charge could avoid a custodial sentence.
The judge said he was concerned about the impact of a custodial sentence would have on proceedings in relation to accessing rights to his son.
He said he had compassion for the father who was striving to have a relationship with his son, but said he also had compassion for all victims of drug dealing.
Judge Comerford sentenced Bagdonas to two and a half years in prison with the final two years suspended for a period of three years.
The suspension is on the provision Bagdonas keeps the peace, attends all appointments with the Probation Service and addresses his drug misuse.
A concurrent sentence was given in relation to a second charge of possession for sale or supply while two further charges of possession were taken into consideration.
A destruction order was made to the court for the drugs.