This is the case of James Curtain (32) from Midleton but now living in the largest city of Nigeria Lagos. He was caught with 6 cannabis plants and over 50grams of cannabis when gardai raided his home. He was not known to the Gardaí and the only trouble he was ever in was a minor road traffic offence. 

The reason the Gardaí raided this man's home is rather disturbing because they had earlier responded to help the man after he had a heart attack in his home. James was home with his sister when he fell ill and his sister phoned for help. Local Gardaí responded and when they entered the house they could smell cannabis & also spotted what they thought to be cannabis herb so they later returned with a search warrant and raided the man’s home. 

During the course of the raid they found 10 jars containing over €1000 worth of cannabis (over 50 grams) and 6 cannabis plants which were being grown under artificial lighting. The gardai say the man was cooperative with them and admitted to owning the cannabis herb and plants which were for personal use. He said he bought the seeds online and also learned how to grow them online too. I wonder was he a member of percygrowroom.com ?

The Gardaí told the court they were happy the cannabis was only for personal use and not intended for resale on the street. Judge Alec Gabbett said “I understand the operation was not large scale, but could it have developed into something bigger, like growing hydroponic cannabis in 40ft containers had he not been caught?” In saying this the judge has shown his personal dislike of Cannabis growers. He views cannabis growers as nothing more than criminals in it for money. This couldn’t be further from the truth, many people I know who grow Cannabis do so to ensure the quality of the products or to distance themselves from some of the dodgy characters you can meet when buying cannabis on the black market. Others who grow might be doing so to save them money becuase the cannabis on the street is priced way beyond the actual value of the Cannabis. Cannabis shouldn’t be costing more than €5/gram but because of its prohibition the price has gone as high as €37/gram ( €130 for a 3.5gram “Cali Pack”)

Ken Murray , Curtains solicitor told the court that Curtin is from a long established hard working Midleton family. His only trouble with the law was for a minor road traffic accident and that he is now working as a building projects manager in Nigeria, trying to save to buy a home. 

Ken also said that Curtin “was going through an experimental stage of little green fingers” and he also then tried to claim that the grow was not a commercial operation and had Curtin got the plants to maturity “he wouldn’t have the expertise to harvest and process them. 

The judge was quick to point out that Curtin had already admitted to growing and processing the cannabis found in the 10 jars and went further to point out a quick google search will “remove any mystery around it”(harvesting cannabis). 

 The judge then stated that

“The growth of this is a problem, it is illegal to grow this plant. It causes terrible mental ill-health to young people, and probably to Mr Curtin too. I’m sure if Mr Curtin got good at this he would of ended up growing in 40ft hydroponic containers. 

Curtin’s solicitor argued that his “nascent horticulture career is over”.

After this the judge sentenced James Curtin to 3 months in prison but suspended the sentence for 3 years. The judge said “I don't think it will stop him from travelling but I hope it will stop him growing”. He then wished Mr Curtin safe travels back to Lagos. 

I have to ask the question, in 10 years time and we are sitting at a local cannabis café enjoying some top quality locally grown Cannabis. Will we view comments like this as we would view comments by homophobic judge who would of punished men for “sodomy” in hopes of changing their desires?

For example are views expressed by the judge in this case any different to the views of Garda commissioner in 1930 Eoin O Duffy who told a Dáil committee that 86 people were prosecuted for homosexual offences the previous year and that

“homosexual activity is a form of depravity that is spreading with malign vigour.” - Eoin O Duffy, Garda commission 1930