Man cultivated cannabis plants in his bedroom

A Wexford town man who pleaded guilty to the cultivation of cannabis plants in his bedroom received a three-year suspended prison sentence at Wexford Circuit Criminal Court.

Nicholas Costello, of 20 Lee Heights, Wexford, pleaded guilty before Judge Barry Hickson to the cultivation of cannabis plants at his home on April 3, 2014. He also pleaded guilty to being in the possession of herbal cannabis on same occasion.

Garda Leonard Casey told the court that, on foot of a search warrant, gardai searched the home of the defendant and found 56 cannabis plants of various degrees in the upstairs bedroom. The bedroom was fitted out to enable growth and cultivation.

Garda Casey said the value of the 56 plants, which were not matured but in the early stages of growth, was €11,200. He said Costello is a man of little or no means, a stonemason not working at present. He also stressed that he was growing the plants for his own use. He had previous convictions.

Defence Counsel, Jordan Fletcher, said the defendant had quite a difficult upbringing. He said that there is a Forensic Psychology Report before the court which goes into his personal history.

Mr. Fletcher said the defendant had turned to alcohol and then became addicted to cannabis. He has been alcohol free for some time.

Judge Hickson said on the cultivation charge he would impose a three-year sentence, which he would suspend for a period of five years, on the defendant entering into a bond of €100 to keep the peace for that period. He also ordered Costello to follow the directions of the Probation and Welfare services, and not to cultivate cannabis plants. He marked the second charge taken into consideration.