Man who started growing cannabis for his terminally ill mother gets a suspended prison sentence

A 29 year old apprentice electrician with no past convictions was given a 2 & a half year prison sentence suspended for 3 years after he started growing cannabis for his terminally ill mother.  The defendant had his home raided back in February 2020 just 3 months before his mother passed away from Cancer. 

The man said he started growing cannabis after his mother who was terminally ill with a brain tumor asked him to get her cannabis oil to help treat her chronic pain. 

During the raid on his home the Gardaí took €10,062 worth of cannabis from the property including a bottle of cannabis oil which was on his dying mothers bedside locker, leaving the mother without the medicine she was using to treat her pain. Despite this the defendant took full responsibility for the Cannabis which was found in his home and fully cooperated with Gardaí. 

“Drug dealing paraphernalia”(most likely a weighing scales) was found in his bedroom, messages were also found on his phone and the defendant admitted to Gardaí that he sold cannabis to his friends.  

Judge Martina Baxter said “drugs were a scourge on society even if people didn't think cannabis did any harm, it’s an illegal substance and it has an egregious effect on society. While some people say it might not have a huge adverse effect on them, it is illegal, it is a controlled drug.” 

“He's an educated young man with the support of his family. No doubt his heart was in the right place as he was [sourcing] it for his mother who was terminally ill at the time BUT there was drug dealing paraphernalia and he was cultivating it in his bedroom.”

The defendant pictured attending court.

 "There was clear evidence he had been selling cannabis. He was effectively running a business from his bedroom." 

The judge went on to say that “It’s unfortunate that his mother has passed and not seen him rehabilitated”

This was after the court heard that the defendant had been undertaking regular urine analysis to show that he was no longer taking illegal drugs and had taken significant steps to rehabilitate himself. Several reports were handed into court from professionals including counsellors and probation services who had dealt with the defendant since his arrest which were all very favorable.

The court also had heard from his father, now a widower with two sons & also from the man's boss who vouched for him too. 

His defense barrister said “he was very apologetic for what he had done and now recognises the road he went down was wrong".

 Judge Baxter said she accepted that his remorse was genuine and also took into account his early guilty plea, full cooperation with Gardaí and other matters into account.

She sentenced him to two-and-a-half years in prison but suspended it for a period of three years.

If you think this is a waste of tax payers money and that cannabis should no longer be illegal then on July 10th come join the us in Dublin’s Phoenix park for a peaceful protest against the prohibition of Cannabis in Ireland and across the world.

Picnic in the Park July 10th 2022 at the Phoenix park, Dublin.