Man (24) caught with €2k of cannabis
A young man who was a heavy cannabis user got into debt and was subsequently pressured by others into selling the drug, Sligo District Court heard on Thursday.
Cameron Nairn (24) of Knockmuldowney Park, Ballisodare was before the court charged with possession of cannabis at Union Wood, Ballisodare on July 16 th 2018 and also possession of cannabis for the purpose of selling or otherwise on the same date.
The court heard that the amount of cannabis found was €2,200. Judge Kevin Kilrane asked if Nairn, who had no previous convictions, was found with any badges, such as a telephone, notebooks or grinders etc, that would indicate sale or supply.
Sergeant Derek Butler said he did not and that it was gardaí’s belief that the defendant was holding the cannabis for someone else.
The sergeant said he was very co-operative with gardaí.
Defending solicitor, Mr Mark Mullaney, said that none of the badges were found and what Sergeant Butler was relying on was his client’s interviews.
He indicated he was going to give a flavour of how his client found himself in possession of such an amount.
He was arrested a year later and interviewed at Ballymote Garda Station and when questioned about the value and if its purpose was for sale or supply, he answered that he was under pressure from others.
He admitted he did smoke a lot at the time and his ex partner did too.
When asked if he made any profit from selling, he replied “no”.
He told gardaí that he was working driving tractors and diggers and when asked if he had any reason to go back selling, he said he did nots.
He admitted he was in a bad place at the time.
Mr Mullaney indicated that Nairn was 21 years old in 2018 and he had been using cannabis and involved with people he
wants nothing to do with now.
“He has changed his life around, his sister is here in court.”
He said he got into debt and was forced into holding cannabis for others.
Sergeant Butler said that Mr Nairn had a lot of difficulties at the time and in relation to coming away from that company, it was gardaí’s belief that he has.
Mr Mullaney said that he is a holder of a licensed firearm and the certificate was issued in 2020 by gardaí.
He said he would suggest that if his client was still involved in illegal activity the last thing gardaí would give is a firearm certificate.
He said his client was at the time involved with a girl he is no longer with and has since been in another relationship with someone who is a steady influence on him.
He said that he had difficulties in the past, including his relationship with his mother and he had learning difficulties in school.
He said his father has been very supportive and couldn’t be in court as he was unwell, but his older sister was there.
Mr Mullaney outlined that given the fact of his client’s difficult life in terms of his upbringing and how he made a mistake and put it behind him, he asked the judge to deal with it short of a conviction.
Mr Mullaney said that the judge had said many times that a conviction under Section 15 is a very nasty conviction to have on one’s CV.
Judge Kilrane said that there were two ways of looking at the case.
The first was in a human way. He said the case put forward by Mr Mullaney was that at a human level.
The explanations in relation to his background and the relationship he was in with his partner.
He said that his need to take cannabis meant a need to buy it and that involved considerable money.
A debt was incurred and he was roped in by more serious dealers.
The judge said that smaller fish like the defendant distribute for them.
He said his guilt was at the lower end.
Judge Kilrane then said if
he was looking at it in another way, the defendant could be described as a spoke in a large wheel.
He said without spokes, the wheel cannot turn.
He said it was said before in relation to firearms, that if someone was to take a parcel from a and leave it at b, they knew it was wrong, but for money or a threat, they do it and without transporting the firearm, the operators cannot operate.
He said he was not necessarily describing the defendant as unfortunate but he said these people get the slightly vulnerable to do the work for them.
He said they get the quasi innocent, vulnerable people to distribute for them.
Without them, the system doesn’t work, they are needed to enable the wheel to turn, the judge pointed out.
He said the distribution of drugs cannot operate without these people.
He said that a message and the example must be highlighted for this type of thing.
He said people should know that there are serious consequences of handling this type of stuff.
He said that the message needs to be sent out to people.
Even Mr Nairn played a role in the distribution of drugs and that cannot be tolerated, he maintained.
Judge Kilrane added that however, there was a human situation regarding the case and that there was a plea made.
He said that he was preparing to treat it as an exception to the normal manner.
He said that Mr Nairn had pleaded guilty and comes from a respectable family as was heard from his background.
He said that in the circumstances, he was going to strike out the Section 15 charge, which was possession of cannabis for the purpose of sale or supply.
He convicted and fined him €200 on the possession of cannabis charge.
He imposed a further condition that the sum of €500 must be paid into court for an addiction centre and he asked Sergeant Butler for his suggestion.
It was agreed that half (€250) would go to Hope House and the other half to Cuan Mhuire.
Both Mr Nairn and Mr Mullaney thanked Judge Kilrane.