Published: Wednesday, 28th July, 2010 5:00pm
District court briefs
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Had 63 'party pills'
A 20-year-old Virginia man who had 63 BZP (party pills) for sale or supply was sentenced to six-months, suspended, when he pleaded guilty to the offence at Virginia District Court.
Ciaran Sheridan, 24 Forest Park, Virginia, was also fined for possessing cannabis on the same occasion at 24 Forest Park on October 7, 2009.
Garda John Maher told the court that he executed a bench warrant issued by the court at 7.40am and, while searching the home of the defendant, he discovered the pills and a quantity of cannabis.
When interviewed the defendant, Sheridan admitted that he had 70 pills and had sold seven of them. He also admitted that the other 63 were for sale and he was selling them at €3 each. The defendant had no previous convictions and was very co-operative.
Martin Cosgrove, solicitor defending, said his client was selling the drugs to feed his own habit. He was attending a counsellor since last October and has been clear for the last seven weeks. The defendant was back home living in Virginia.
Judge Sean MacBride said the defendant had pleaded guilty to very serious charges. "I am satisfied that you are at the lower end of the drug dealing chain."
Taking into account that the defendant had no previous conviction and that he co-operated, the judge suspended the six-month sentence for two years. "This type of behaviour will not be tolerated."
Operating a shebeen
Aidan O'Reilly, t/a Next Door, Market Street, Ballyjamesduff, was fined €635 at Virginia District Court for selling alcohol at Next Door on September 23.
Rory Hayden SS said on the occasion the defendant was operating a premises without a licence. It was a shebeen. The last licence expired in 2008 and the defendant had one previous conviction.
Rita Martin, solicitor defending, said her client had since taken out a licence and he just forget to get one.
Green diesel
John Sheenan, Mill Road, Kingscourt, was fined €2,500 at Virginia District Court for having hydrocarbon oil (green diesel) in his vehicle at Bailieboro Road, Kingscourt, on June 30.
Ailish McCabe, solicitor defending, said the vehicle belonged to the defendant but it was a colleague who put the green diesel in without Mr. Sheenan knowing about it. However, he accepted full responsibility for his vehicle.
Daily rest
Virginia Transport Ltd, Maghera, Virginia, was fined €500 and ordered to pay €605 costs for failing to let a driver take his daily rest within a 24-hour period at Lloyd, Kells, on August 24, 2009. Lenard Norbet, Stramatt, Maghera, Virginia, driver was fined €500 for failing to use a tachograph at Lloyd, kells, on September 14.
Defective lorry
Sean Smyth, Corlurgan, Bailieboro, was directed to donate €750 to St. Vincent de Paul when he appeared at Virginia District Court charged with having a defective lorry at Dunaree, Kingscourt, on January 21.
Breached licensing laws
Gabriel Cullivan, Aghaghlogh, Cavan, was fined €250 at Virginia District Court for a breach of the licensing laws at 2.10am on Sunday, February 7, at the Porter House, Church Street, Kingscourt. One person found on the premises was fined €50.
Public order offences
A Bailieboro man who had a suspended sentence imposed on him last October and appeared before Virginia District Court on public order offences had his case put back to July 22 to see if the suspended sentence could be evoked.
Seamus Smith, 9 Fountain View, Bailieboro, was charged with using or engaging in threatening behaviour at Main Street, Bailieboro on March 18. He was also charged with failing to comply with a garda direction and being intoxicated.
Inspector Seamus Boyle said at 12.25am gardai observed a male in an intoxicated state. When they approached him he became extremely aggressive. He was asked to leave the area and failed to do so. The defendant had ten previous convictions and was given a twelve month suspended sentence last October
Ailish McCabe, solicitor defending, said her client's record was bad and on the occasion he had a lot of alcohol taken. He was trying to get his life together. Recently he had lost his mother, two uncles and a grandmother.
The defendant was on a HSE list for counselling and was seeking help. Ms. McCabe pleaded for one last chance for her client. Judge David Anderson said he would adjourn the matter to see if the suspended sentence would be evoked.
Was growing cannabis
A Kingscourt man who was discovered cultivating cannabis in his home was fined €500 when he appeared at Virginia District Court.
Gary Taffe, 59 Mount Saint Joseph, Kingscourt, pleaded guilty to the charge that occurred on June 5, 2009.
Inspector Seamus Boyle said a search was carried out of the defendant's home and two cannabis plants were discovered, along with a quantity of harvest cannabis. Equipment for the purpose of growing cannabis was also discovered. The defendant was arrested and made a cautioned statement. He took full responsibility for the items.
Drink driving
Mark Carolan (22), Turner Hill, Kingscourt, was fined €250 and banned from driving for two years and one day at Virginia District Court for driving with excess alcohol 188mg/100ml urine at Dun a Ri, Kingscourt, on June 30, 2009.
No motor insurance
The following were fined at Virginia District Court for driving without motor insurance: Coral Gavaghan, 47 Clementstown, Cootehill, €250, and Christopher Murray, Corkish, Bailieboro, €250 and disqualified for one year.
Fined €300
Patrick Lynch, Relaghan, Shercock, was fined €300 at Virginia District Court for using or engaging in threatening behaviour at Main Street, Bailieboro, on June 21.
Community Service
Jacques Marais, 6 Glenview, Ballyjamesduff, was directed to complete 100 hours of community service in lieu of three months in prison at Virginia District Court for claiming social welfare on January 7 when he was not entitled to do so.
Tax returns
Derek Maples, The Old School House, Rassan, Ballyjamesduff, was fined €3,000 at Virginia District Court for failing to make tax returns for the year 2006. He was also fined €1,500 for a similar offence for 2004.
Had over €1,500 of heroin
Kevin McKenna, Connolly Street, Cavan, was remanded in custody with consent to bail to the special sitting of Cavan District Court on July 19 charged with having heroin for sale or supply at Connolly Street on September 16, 2009.
Cavan District Court was told the defendant had 29 deals of heroin with a street value of €1,659.
Suspended sentence
Sean Smith, Keadew, Ballyhaise, was handed a three-month suspended sentence for driving while disqualified at Derrygarra Upper, Butlersbridge, on February 21, when he appeared at Cavan District Court. He was also disqualified from driving for six years. The defendant was also fined €500 and disqualified from driving for a concurrent six years for having no insurance on his vehicle on the same occasion.
Illegal fishing
Two Polish nationals who were caught fishing illegally on Lough Oughter were each fined €50 and ordered to pay €428 costs when they pleaded guilty at Cavan District Court.
Maciej Maciejewski and Marcin Wzzesinski both of 30 Castlerosse View, Baldoyle, Dublin 13, were summoned that on April 18 at Lough Oughter, Killykeen, they caught two pike, which exceeded the permitted length.
Jacqueline Maloney, solicitor prosecuting, said that fisheries officer Jimmy Reilly received a report that illegal fishing was taking place in Killykeen. He observed two people at the footbridge in Killykeen fishing. When he checked their bag they had two pike.
One of them was 66cm and the second 76cm and both exceeded the permitted length of 50cm. Both men were very co-operative. They said that the law in Poland was different and they thought they could keep fish that exceeded 50cm.
Drink driving
The following were fined for driving with excess alcohol: Gavin Hilliard, 62 Swiftbrook Glen, Virginia, 185mg/100ml blood, €300 and disqualified for three years plus €300 for possessing heroin; and Peter Reilly, Drumcondra, Redhills, 75mg/100ml breath, €250 and disqualified for six years from January 1.
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