Man was using cannabis for nerve pain after getting shingles

A DUNMANWAY man was growing his own cannabis plants to help him deal with neuralgia as a result of having shingles, a court recently heard.

Martyn Prince (67) of Inchacurka, Dunmanway pleaded guilty at Clonakilty District Court to a charge of cultivating cannabis plants as well as possession of both cannabis herb and cannabis resin.

Sgt Tom Mulcahy told the court that Det Gda Shannon Ryan of the West Cork Divisional Drugs Unit searched the defendant’s home on December 3rd last.

‘He discovered 14 cannabis plants in the garden which had a potential street value of €11,200, while he also found cannabis herb worth €650 and cannabis resin worth €26.40,’ said Sgt
Mulcahy.

‘Mr Prince made full admissions to gardaí about cultivating the plants as well as possessing the other drugs at his home.’

Mr Prince has five previous convictions including two for the possession of drugs and three for road traffic offences.

Defence solicitor Eamonn Fleming noted that gardaí accepted that his client was growing the drugs for his own use and that there was no element of selling the drugs.

‘He fully cooperated with gardaí. He suffers from neuralgia where he receives sharp, shocking pains and is a legacy of shingles, which he had in 2021 and 2022,’ said Mr Fleming.

He said his client, who is originally from the UK, has been living in Ireland for 35 years.

‘He has a partner and he is a carer for their adult child who suffers with a disability.

‘He tried to treat the neuralgia with conventional medicine and started buying CBD oil but found that to be too dear. He then started growing the cannabis to treat his pain.’

Mr Fleming added that his client is considering moving back to the UK to stay with his sister in Cambridge and that his previous drug convictions date back to 2012.

Judge McNulty remarked that the defendant is no stranger to cannabis and was using it long before he had shingles.

Mr Fleming said it was a ‘hands-up situation’ and that his client has suffered a lot of difficulties in his life.

Judge McNulty queried what the defendant’s doctor would say about the ‘weed’.

‘Would he recommend it? It is known to induce anxiety and paranoia,’ said the judge.

He sentenced him to 90 days in prison on the cultivation charge and to 30 days on the cannabis herb charge but suspended both sentences for two years in the defendant’s own bond of €1,000, with no cash required.

He also convicted and fined him €200 on the cannabis resin charge and gave him 60 days to pay the fine.