Strangers who met at ATM both bought cocaine

TWO strangers who met at an ATM ended up buying cocaine between them during last year’s Kinsale 7s rugby festival, and were caught by gardaí, a district court has heard.

Liam McSweeney of Clodagh, Crookstown pleaded guilty to the possession of cocaine at Bandon District Court.

Sgt Brian Harte told the court  that at 12.15am on May 5th last Gda Shane Ryan was on foot patrol  at Chairmans Lane when he saw two males acting suspiciously near a car park.

‘When he approached them, there was a bag of white powder on the ground. The defendants admitted it was cocaine and that they had bought it between them for €100,’ said Sgt Harte. ‘They didn’t know each other but agreed to buy it.’

Defence solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client, who is studying science in CIT, was never in court before and has no previous convictions.

‘He was in Kinsale socialising and became extremely drunk and both of them made separate statements to the gardaí,’ said Mr Taaffe, who added that his client co-operated fully.

‘He is extremely remorseful and he confessed what happened at home where there were repercussions.’

Mr Taaffe said his client also had a clear urinalysis report in court and that he was anxious to avoid a conviction and that it may harm his prospects.

Judge James McNulty said the defendant ‘is not a teenager’.

‘He’s 20 years old and he has had a good rearing,’ said Judge McNulty.

At the same court sitting, David Good of Woodlands Cottage, Dunkettle, Cork also pleaded guilty to the possession of cocaine on the same night.

The court was told that the details were similar to the previous case, and that Good has no previous convictions.

His solicitor Eamonn Fleming said his client, who is studying civil engineering in UCC, ‘very foolishly’ bought cocaine at a ‘banklink’ machine.

‘He’s a young man and it’s been hanging over him for six months and he’s never been in court before,’ said Mr Fleming, who added that his client didn’t know the other man that he met at the bank machine.

Judge McNulty remarked that a ‘pair of strangers met at an ATM and decided to buy cocaine’ but said it was a ‘joint venture’.

Mr Fleming added that his client was very worried about how a conviction would affect his career and said he wants to prove to the court that it won’t happen again.

Judge McNulty directed that probation reports be carried out on both men and adjourned their cases to March 20th.

Subscribe to the Southern Star's YouTube channel, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram for all the latest news and sport from West Cork.