Cocaine now ‘an epidemic’ says judge

A DISTRICT court judge in West Cork has described the use of cocaine as an ‘epidemic’ and said that no good can come from using it.

He was hearing a case in which a young Bandon man was said to have been ‘dabbling’ in it.

Judge John King made the comment when dealing with the case of a West Cork man who was convicted of drug driving and the possession of cocaine.

Aaron Crowley (23) of 22 Lower Ardan in Bandon pleaded guilty to both charges at Bandon District Court.

Insp Kay O’Donoghue said that on May 17th 2022 gardaí were operating a checkpoint on Upper Kilbrogan Hill when the defendant’s vehicle was stopped by Gda Brian Blake.

He gave a breath specimen which turned out to be positive for cocaine. He was then arrested and brought to Bandon Garda Station where a blood specimen taken from him confirmed the presence of cocaine in his system, said Insp O’Donoghue.

He was also searched at the station and white powder was found, which was cocaine, valued at €100.

The court heard that the defendant made full admissions, co-operated fully and has one previous conviction for careless driving.

Solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client works in the security industry installing alarms, and he would now lose his job because of the conviction.

‘He didn’t believe he was under the influence and wasn’t aware that the cocaine would stay in his system,’ said Mr Taaffe.

Judge King asked if the defendant has a drug problem, but Mr Taaffe said his client doesn’t.

‘He has given it up and was dabbling with the drug at the time.’

Judge King said that if he doesn’t give up using the drug, he could get a prison sentence if he is caught with it again.

‘No good can come out of it. It’s an epidemic now,’ said Judge King.

He disqualified Crowley from driving for one year and convicted and fined him €450 on the drug driving charge. He granted a deferral of the disqualification until July 15th.

The judge also convicted and fined him €150 on the cocaine possession charge, and gave him four months to pay the fine.