A BANDON man who was caught selling a sheet of his prescribed Xanax to a man in a car park had been selling his prescribed medication for over a year, a court heard.

David Crowley (55) of 17 North Main Street, Bandon pleaded guilty at Bandon District Court to the possession of drugs and the possession of drugs for sale or supply.

Sgt Tom Mulcahy told the court that at 3.15pm on November 2nd 2022 Gda Ashling O’Connell observed the accused approaching a car in Kelleher’s car park on Glasslyn Road where he handed over an item and received cash in return.

‘Gda O’Connell searched the accused and found €25 cash on him and he admitted to selling a sheet of alprazolam (Xanax) while during a caution memo he admitted the cash was from selling the drug,’ said Sgt Mulcahy. ‘He admitted selling his own prescribed medication every week.’

The court heard he has no previous convictions. His solicitor Plunkett Taaffe said his client suffers from anxiety and stress and was coping with the death of his sister during this period and ‘got sucked into the situation.’

‘He knows the other man and they agreed to an arrangement where he would sell him his prescribed drugs. He didn’t process the harm he was doing,’ said Mr Taaffe

He added that this hasn’t happened since and won’t happen again as he has learnt his lesson. His client is also attending Coolmine for an alcohol addiction.

‘He’s very worried and works in security part-time and could lose his job.’

Judge Joanne Carroll noted that Mr Crowley was giving the tablets to a young person who wasn’t prescribed Xanax for over a year and made over €1,000.

‘It was money for nothing and he got sucked into that,’ remarked the judge, who requested the preparation of a probation report given that he has no previous convictions and adjourned the case to April 20th.