Man jailed for cannabis possession after €2.5m ecstasy charges dropped
A man has been jailed for nine years for possession of €2.5m worth of cannabis which was found in two Dublin lockups.
However, charges relating to possession of a similar amount of ecstasy were dropped, following a recent Court of Appeal ruling.
Gary Byrne (aged 42) of Belcamp Gardens Coolock, Dublin pleaded guilty to possession of a total of €2.52m worth of cannabis resin and cannabis herb at Rosemount Business Park in Ballycoolin and North West Business Centre in Blanchardstown in June 2013.
Judge Patricia Ryan sentenced Byrne to 12 years with the final three years suspended.
She took into account that he was not the owner of the drugs and was an addict himself.
The prosecution in the case had previously dropped a charge of possession of €2.5m worth of ecstasy in light of a recent Court of Appeal ruling.
Tony McGillicuddy, barrister for the DPP, said the change was because of the “Bederev Judgement” in which the appeal court issued a ruling that the ban on ecstasy and other drugs was unconstitutional.
However, those drugs are now illegal again after emergency legislation was rushed through the Oireachtas.
