Issues over urine samples

SLIGO Circuit Court has heard a man who was told he could be spared a prison term if he stays drug free has had issues providing urinalysis due to ‘stage fright’.

Scott Greenhalgh (25) of Woodstream, Coolaney had previously been before the court where he pleaded guilty to the possession of €10,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply.

On July 10 th, 2017 members of the Divisional Drugs Unit entered Greenhalgh’s home and a search was conducted and a quantity of cannabis was found in a coal bunker.

At his sentencing in June 2019 Greenhalgh was told to provide urinalysis every six weeks to prove he was drug free.

The matter was re entered to the court and it was heard only two urinalysis results had been provided to the State solicitor, Ms Elisa McHugh since the 2019 court date.

Since then the matter had been re entered a number of times to the court where urinalysis had continually not been available.

Defence barrister Mr Keith O’Grady, instructed by Mr Tom MacSharry, solicitor informed the court it was aware that his client had an issue with providing urine previously has he could not urinate in front of a doctor. With this issue the court had previously agreed to blood analysis, however, the court was told this testing was not available in the region.

Mr O’Grady told the court though his client has since been providing urine to his doctor there had been reference to ‘dilution’ in two samples.

“He urinates in front of the GP, there’s no suggestion with coming in with a bottle of Volvic,” said Mr O’Grady.

He went on to tell the court that due to his client’s previous difficulties with not being able to urinate in the presence of his doctor, his client consumes huge quantities of water before attending his GP so he can urinate and “not have stage fright”.

Mr O’Grady said there had also been delays in receiving results from the urinalysis which his client’s mother and Mr MacSharry had been working on rectifying.

He submitted to the court that though there had been breaches of the court order, it was not a case that his client had not been complying.

The barrister said his client had not come to the attention of the gardaí in the interim and there was as letter from Greenhalgh’s employer to state he was in employment.

Judge Comerford adjourned the matter to June 15 th next and said he wanted three further urinalysis reports before the court and a GP letter stating urine was provided in the presence of the doctor and not near access to a running tap.