Horticulture student had cannabis growhouse

A horticulture student has avoided a jail term after gardaí discovered a cannabis grow house in his garage.

Gavan Murphy, aged 31, of St Aidan’s Park, Marino, Dublin, pleaded guilty to cultivation of cannabis plants at St Aidan’s Park, on August 12, 2015.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that gardaí went to Murphy’s house after receiving a tip-off.

During a search of the house they found his garage had been converted into a grow house, Garda Trevor Bolger told Eilis Brennan, prosecuting.

The garage was kitted out with grow tents, a heating system, and tin foil.

The garage contained 12 mature plants, and another 33 medium and small-sized plants.

Gardaí also found three jars containing cannabis buds and seeds in the bedroom of the house.

Gda Bolger said the estimated street value of the plants was €44,000, on the basis that all 55 plants would come to fruition and yield buds and seeds.

Murphy told gardaí he was growing the cannabis plants for personal use to avoid buying the drug, and said half of the plants would die within a week.

Murphy said he got all the tents secondhand on eBay. He has no other convictions.

Judge Melanie Greally suspended a sentence of three years on condition that Murphy remain drug-free.