A MAN who was caught outside a hospital emergency department with more than a kilo of cannabis herb is to be sentenced next month.
Padraig O’Connor (37), from St Joseph’s Park, Dromcollogher, pleaded guilty in October to drugs offences contrary to Section 15a of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
During a sentence hearing at Limerick Circuit Court last week, Judge Tom O’Donnell heard that drug squad detectives saw the father-of-one acting suspiciously outside the hospital on April 29, 2014
They stopped and questioned him but he ran off, only to be apprehended after a short chase.
A polkadot Lidl shopping shopping bag he was carrying contained more than 1.1kg of cannabis with an estimated street value in excess of €20,000.
Prosecution Counsel John O’Sullivan said O’Connor admitted he went to McDonalds in Dooradoyle and “met individuals who he picked up some weed from”.
He told gardai that he “got a phone call earlier while he was in the city centre and was instructed to go to the hospital and stop outside McDonalds along the way.
Two months earlier, he met the same individuals in Newcastle West when his friend wanted a smoke of weed. Other than that, he had nothing to do with.
On a previous occasion he “got some weed, paid €400 for it and did nothing else only gave it to three or four of his friends”, Mr O’Sullivan said.
Mr O’Connell told gardai that he subsequently bought the larger batch of drugs for €3,000 and intended keeping some before giving it back.
Defence counsel Anthony Samon asked Judge O’Donnell to sanction a probation service report so as to allow a number of factors to be considered by the court.
The case was adjourned until to December O’Connell was released on his own bail.
