No leniency for man with previous drug charges

A BANTRY man was sentenced to 24-months imprisonment for possession as well as the sale and supply of cannabis and cocaine.

Sgt Trish O’Sullivan gave evidence at Bantry District Court that Detective Gda Manning searched the home of Jack Miles of Blackrock Lane, Bantry, on August 28th last, and the accused handed over a large quantity of cannabis and five bags of cocaine, all of which was worth €4,500.

The sergeant said the accused, who has 27 previous convictions, was charged with possession of cannabis and possession of cocaine – both of which were marked proven but taken into consideration.

On two additional charges of having the cannabis and the cocaine for the purpose of sale or supply, the accused was sentenced to eight-months imprisonment.

On another charge of possession of €250 worth of cocaine at Blackrock Lane, on January 11th last, Judge McNulty sentenced the accused to 10-months imprisonment.

Judge McNulty ordered that the 10-month sentence be served consecutively.

On that occasion, Sgt O’Sullivan said gardaí found two weighing scales, and a large amount of ‘mixing agent.’ She said the accused’s phone also contained messages relating to the sale of cocaine.

‘This offence,’ she added, ‘was committed while he was on bail.’

She notified the court that the accused has a six-month sentence hanging over him since April 8th 2021. She said that sentence had been suspended on condition that the accused stay out of trouble.

Judge McNulty ordered that the sentence be ‘activated,’ which brought the total number of months to be served to 24, however, solicitor Ray Hennessy asked for recognisances to be fixed for an appeal.

In pleading with the court not to send his homeless client to jail, Mr Hennessy said, ‘Society would be a lot better served if Jack Miles was allowed to undergo a treatment programme.’

But Judge James McNulty was of the opinion that ‘society would be better off if Jack Miles would desist from selling cocaine, but, on the contrary, he persists’.

‘With four previous convictions for sale or supply,’ the judge added, ‘he can’t expect to be treated leniently.’