Man to be sentenced for cannabis in shed

A Dublin man who hid €26,000 worth of cannabis resin in his garden shed has had his sentencing adjourned until October.

Andrew McIntyre (aged 27), who acts a full time carer for his terminally ill mother, told gardaí he was being paid €500 per week to hold the drugs at his address at Cork Street, Rialto.

He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at his home on May 26, 2008.

Detective Garda Barry Hayes agreed with Ms Melanie Greally BL, prosecuting, that gardaí, acting on a tip-off from a reliable source, uncovered 20 nine-ounce bars of cannabis resin hidden in a shed during a search of McIntyre’s home.

McIntyre told gardaí that he had accrued credit card debt to the tune of €5,000 and agreed to hold the drugs on behalf of another party in order to repay his creditors.

Det Gda Hayes told the court that McIntyre had a significant gambling habit, and was observed visiting several betting shops by a garda surveillance unit on the day prior to his arrest.

He said that McIntyre, who has no previous convictions, came from a “very decent” family and agreed that he was highly co-operative with gardaí during their investigations.

Det Gda Hayes agreed with Mr Remy Farrell BL, defending, that gardaí would have encountered difficulty in prosecuting McIntyre had he not made full admissions, as the drugs were found outside of his house.

Mr Farrell told the court that McIntyre worked as a security guard and was a person of “considerable support” to his terminally ill mother.

Judge Patricia Ryan ordered a probation report and remanded McIntyre on continuing bail until his sentencing on October 8.