Drug dealer to be deported to 'absolve the taxpayer of a burden'

A judge has ordered the deportation of a Polish man caught with €40,000 worth of cannabis to “absolve the taxpayer of a burden” in light of the country’s economic situation.

Robert Tworowski (aged29) of Meridian Court, Spindrift Avenue, Royal Canal Park, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of a controlled drug for sale or supply on December 18, 2009 at the same address.

Judge Tony Hunt handed down a four-year sentence with the last two years suspended and a deportation order on his release for the offence.

He said: “This is a large reduction in the mandatory minimum of a 10-year jail term the offence would usually carry”.

Detective Garda Ciaran O’ Neill told Mr Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that €40,000 worth of cannabis resin, two weighing scales and €3,135 in cash were found in the bedroom of Tworowski’s house.

He said Tworowski admitted that he owned the drugs and weighing scales and said the cash was for paying rent.

Det Gda O’ Neill said Tworowski was brought to Finglas garda station for questioning where he told gardaí that he had been living here for five years but was let go from his job two weeks prior to the offence.

He said he would have used some of it himself for smoking and to make money by selling it to flatmates and friends.

Det Gda O' Neill also said Tworowski had one previous conviction for drunken driving in September 2009 for which he was fined and disqualified.

Ms Caroline Biggs SC, defending, asked Det Gda O’ Neill if Tworowski smoked cannabis every day, to which the detective garda replied that he did.

Ms Biggs said Tworowski’s father died when he was three and he came to Ireland with his mother five years ago.

She said her client attended primary and secondary school and did a five-year course in university to train as a mechanical technician.

She said he had an excellent work record and had been drug free in the recent past.

Ms Biggs said her client had a lot of educational qualifications which could be used in this country or another.

Judge Hunt said he would take into account the early guilty plea and said that although some cannabis herb could be cultivated to be very potent, it was not as serious as heroin.

The judge said given the current economic situation, he would “absolve the taxpayer of a burden” by deporting Tworowski and said Tworowski had “worn out his welcome in this country”.

He handed down a four-year sentence with the final two years suspended with the condition Tworowski would be taken to Dublin Airport for deportation on his release.