A DAD-OF-TWO caught with cannabis after being stopped by gardaí in his car in Kinsale said he was using the drug as he had been stressed.

Damilara Bammodu (33) of Deerpark House, Friars Walk, Cork city pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to the possession of cannabis on August 13th last.

The court heard that at 7.15am that morning gardaí in Kinsale stopped a black BMW at Eastern Road in the town. Having spoken with the accused they carried out a drugs search on him.

‘He handed over a small quantity of cannabis worth €75 and admitted it was for his own personal use,’ said Sgt Tom Mulcahy.

The court heard that he has 16 previous convictions including three for the possession of drugs for sale or supply and one for money laundering.

Defence solicitor Éamonn Fleming said his client works full-time as a scaffolder and was very stressed at the time.

‘He uses it haphazardly when trying to get to sleep,’ said Mr Fleming, who added that selling drugs is in his client’s past.

Judge Joanne Carroll wondered how a person in a well-paid scaffolding job is stressed while the accused said it was just being stressed in general.

‘You are not in Ukraine where they have three hours of electricity,’ said Judge Carroll.

She sentenced him to three months in prison suspended for 12 months.