Laois childcare worker had cannabis worth €430 in her home
Portlaoise Courthouse
A 31-YEAR-old Mountmellick woman with a level 8 degree in childcare pleaded guilty to possessing drugs for sale or supply when she came before Portlaoise District Court last week.
Amy Dempsey, Cullenwood, Mountmellick pleaded guilty to possessing €430 worth of cannabis for her own use and to possessing it for sale or for supply at her address on 4 November.
Garda sgt JJ Kirby said that during a garda search of the defendant’s property, €430 worth of cannabis was found, along with €430 in cash, weighing scales and cling film.
He said Ms Dempsey had no previous recorded convictions.
Solicitor for the defendant Josephine Fitpzatrick said that her client was feeding her own drug habit by selling to friends and “concedes she still has a reliance on cannabis but is not now selling to her friends.”
Ms Fitzpatrick said that her client has no difficulty in donating the cash that was seized in her house to a charity, to which Judge Susan Fay instructed that it be donated to St Francis Special School in Portlaoise after being told that the defendant has a level 8 degree in Childcare.
Ms Fitzpatrick said: “It was a very small-scale operation to feed her habit. She’s hoping to return to employment, but with a conviction for sale or supply, she will find it very difficult.” Judge Fay asked that an assessment be undertaken on Ms Demsey to determine her suitability to undertake a community service order. If she is, the judge said that she would consider imposing a 60-hour order in lieu of four months in prison and adjourned the case to 18 May.
