Laois man ‘threw drugs down toilet’
Portlaoise Courthouse
WHEN gardaí carried out a search of a house in Portlaoise, they found €600 worth of cannabis in a toilet bowl.
Garda sgt JJ Kirby said that a search warrant was issued at a sitting of Portlaoise District Court. On foot of that, gardaí searched a house in Lake Drive, Kilminchy, Portlaoise on 10 February. During the search, they found the cannabis in a plastic bag down the toilet bowl.
Arising from the find, James McInerney pleaded guilty to possessing the drug for his own use and to possessing it for sale or supply from his address at the time.
Sgt Kirby said the defendant had 40 previous convictions.
Defending solicitor Philip Meagher said his 43-year-old client had co-operated fully with the gardaí.
He said Mr McInerney wasn’t in the house when gardaí began their search but returned and “in a panic threw the drugs down the toilet.” He said his client had started using cannabis as a relief for a back injury “which snowballed and he built up a debt from those he was buying it from. In turn, he sold it on to a small group.” He said Mr McInerney is no longer taking drugs and is liaising with his doctor for relief for his back pain.
Remanding the defendant on continuing bail to the 20 April sitting of the court, Judge Susan Fay ordered a community service assessment and a probation report to be prepared for that date.
