Boy kept €40k of drug in schoolbag to pay off debt

A TEENAGE boy had to store almost €40,000 worth of cannabis in his schoolbag to pay off a debt, a court has heard.

The boy, 14 at the time but now 15, pleaded guilty at the Dublin Children’s Court to possessing the cannabis with intent to supply to another, at his home address, on a date in June.

Gda Michael Noone told Judge Ann Ryan that, during a search of the teenager’s bedroom, “a schoolbag containing cannabis resin with a street value of €39,500 was found”.

The boy was not present for the seizure but later turned up at his local garda station with members of his family “and he stated that the drugs were his”.

“He was arrested and detained and made admissions in relation to holding the drugs,” Gda Noone added.

Gda Noone agreed with defence solicitor Gareth Noble that the boy had no previous convictions, that he had never been before the courts until thisand did not make a profit from his involvement. He also agreed the boy was “holding it for someone else”.

Mr Noble said the teenager “was engaged in this activity to cover a debt.

“They had told him to hold on to this package to take care of the debt,” said Mr Noone. “The amount of money involved would be something beyond someone his age; he has no earnings.

“He felt he could not turn to his family members and he took the decision to do what he was told, that has him before the court.”

The first time the boy’s family became aware of the situation was when “gardaí came to the door”.

Mr Noble asked the court to note the boy’s age and maturity: the boy had been out of school for about two years and did not have the educational attainments of most children his age.

Despite the seriousness of the case, Judge Ryan decided not to send it to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers.

The teenager had been held in custody on remand for almost four weeks.

After accepting jurisdiction to deal with the case, Judge Ryan noted that the National Education and Welfare Board had arranged tuition for the boy. A positive report had also come from his detention centre.

The judge asked for a probation report to be prepared and granted bail pending sentencing in the new year.

Concerns were raised in recent months that the boy had been associating with known criminals described in court as “a very destructive and bad influence on someone so young”.