Bantry father hid his cocaine behind plasterboard at home

BY DAVID FORSYTHE

A MAN who hid cocaine behind plasterboard at his home near Bantry will be assessed by the probation service to determine his suitability for community service.

Samuel Field, 42, of Millbeg, Coomhola, appeared before Bantry Court in relation to €840 worth of cocaine and an amount of cannabis found during a search of his property in November 2022.

He was convicted of possession for the purpose of supply or sale in his absence in January 2024 based on a statement he had given to gardaí.

Defence solicitor Flor Murphy said that Mr Field was the father of two daughters, one whom he had raised himself, and one he cared for half the week.

He said that his client had missed the previous hearing because the child was sick but had attended on every other occasion.

He added that he had not had any involvement with drugs since the raid in 2022.

He added that Mr Field had been intending to share the drugs among friends at a birthday party and did not realise this constituted possession for sale or supply.

Mr Murphy said that Mr Field had suffered a severe ‘life-altering’ accident in 2011 that left him in constant pain.

He has 13 previous convictions mostly for motoring offences but had two under the Misuse of Drugs Act which dated from 2003 and 2008.

Judge James McNulty said that Mr Field was clearly a drug user by his own admission, but accepted that he was a good father to his daughters as outlined by the defence.

He said that he would be seeking a probation report to ascertain Mr Field’s suitability for community service.

He remanded him on continuing bail to appear again at Bantry District Court on June 13th.