Suspended sentence for man caught with cannabis in van

A MAN who was found in possession of €20,540 worth of cannabis received a suspended sentence at Wicklow Circuit Court last week.

Wayne Byrne (23), Springfield House, Inch, Gorey, Co Wexford, was stopped driving a van at Barndarrig on November 1, 2014.

A passenger in the van, Darren Stenson, has already been dealt with by the courts, the court heard.

The van was searched and found to contain 1.027 kilos of cannabis, Detective Garda Robert Whelan told the ocurt.

Judge Michael O’Shea heard that Byrne had agreed to drive, but was not the main person involved in the matter. He was to be reimbursed in cannabis for doing the driving.

Judge O’Shea said that Byrne had a tremendous work history and otherwise a great potential and great future.

‘He got involved without thinking about the consequences and misjudged his involvement. He very unwisely got involved,’ said the judge.

‘Why was this man involved in this offence at all?’ he asked.

The court heard that Byrne was a heavy cannabis user and he knew the co-accused. He knew that he was involved in picking up the drugs.

Judge O’Shea said that the defendant appears to have an understanding into his offending behaviour, according to a report before the court. Byrne entered a plea of guilty, cooperated and had shown remorse.

Judge O’Shea handed him a three-year suspended sentence.