Gardaí found man climbing in his bedroom window during drug search, court hears
Gardaí executing a drugs search found a man climbing back in his bedroom window after he had tried to hide bags of cannabis in his garden.
John McCarthy of Coolmoreen in Innishannon in Co Cork pleaded guilty to a charge of simple possession of cannabis and of having the drug for sale or supply at his home on December 3, 2018.
Sgt Paul Kelly told Judge James McNulty at Bandon District Court that at 3.45pm that day Garda Ellen Crowley and others visited the property with a search warrant.
They were granted access by Mr McCarthy’s father and sought access to the defendant’s bedroom.
Sgt Kelly said that on entering John McCarthy’s bedroom they saw him climbing back in the window from the back garden.
The court was told that Mr McCarthy, 32, was agitated and initially uncooperative but once informed gardaí had a warrant and were going to conduct a search, he went out into the garden and showed officers three bags of cannabis herb, each worth €50, as well as a grinder.
Sgt Kelly said Mr McCarthy’s phone was also examined and information retrieved from it showed that he was supplying the drug to others.
He was later arrested by arrangement and made admissions. He had no previous convictions.
His solicitor, Diarmuid O’Shea, said his client only ever supplied two or three friends and was not dealing to anyone else or selling on corners.
He said it was an arrangement whereby he would purchase the cannabis, keep some and supply his friends.
The court heard that his mother had had a difficult upbringing during which she and all her siblings had been put in care and ultimately dealt with the Residential Institutions Redress Board and this had a “knock-on” effect for Mr McCarthy.
Mr O’Shea said his client was also a carer for his brother and also worked three days a week locally with tidy towns.
He said Mr McCarthy said he was no longer smoking cannabis and had been “very frank and open” with gardaí in interview.
Judge McNulty said Mr McCarthy “wasn’t having a snooze” when gardaí called and there was “a degree of connivance and a determination to avoid” detection in what had happened.
The judge ordered that Mr McCarthy be remanded in custody to Cork Prison overnight and return to court on Friday, when he will pass sentence.
