Man grew cannabis to self-medicate

Around €10,000 worth of cannabis was grown by a Cork man with Asperger’s syndrome as part of his plan to self-medicate with the drug.

Gardaí obtained a warrant to search his home and found loose cannabis worth almost €400 and plants with a potential street value of €9,600, Sgt Brian McSweeney said yesterday.

Michael O’Donovan, aged 31, of 20 St James Square, off Tower St, Cork, was at Cork Circuit Appeals Court yesterday where he was appealing the severity of a five-month sentence.

The appeal judge said he would “take a leap” and adjourn his decision in the case until November.

Nikki O’Sullivan, defending, said: “He is on the autistic spectrum. He has Asperger’s syndrome. He does not think along the same lines as we do. He was self-medicating on cannabis at the time.”

Ms O’Sullivan said the appellant had found a new lease of life through Mai Thai. She said he presented in court yesterday as being very calm.

Sgt McSweeney said: “He has not come to garda notice since this date.”

The barrister also said that he had attended Arbour House to deal with his cannabis issue.

Judge Brian O’Callaghan said: “I will put it back to November. I am taking a leap. I can see why these orders (a five-month prison sentence) were made in the court below. But I think it would be wrong to finalise it without seeing what Arbour House has to say. There are no promises being made whatsoever.”

The judge adjourned the appeal for further consideration on November 29.

The appellant said, “Thank you, your honour.”

Judge O’Callaghan told O’Donovan that he had not done anything for him yet for which he should be giving thanks.

Garda Liam Lynch initially charged O’Donovan with possession of cannabis and cultivating cannabis plants without licence.