Joshua Allen withdraws appeal over cocaine conviction

Allen initially appealed cocaine conviction, claiming cocaine found by gardaí in a bush near where Allen and friends were gathered at the Pontoon in Midleton was not his

Joshua Allen leaving Midleton District Court on Tuesday. Picture: Cork Courts Limited

Joshua Allen, the son of celebrity TV chef Rachel Allen, withdrew his appeal against a cocaine possession conviction and entered a guilty plea.

Mr Allen, 21, an MMA fighter and the grandson of TV chef Darina Allen and the great grandson of Ballymaloe founder Myrtle Allen, is to hear on May 20 whether he additionally faces a 15-month jail term for cannabis sale and supply.

Allen was convicted last year before Midleton District Court for possession of €280 worth of cocaine on July 10, 2020.

He was sentenced to two months in prison for cocaine possession by Judge Alec Gabbett.

This conviction would trigger a suspended sentence for 15 months in jail for possession of more than €22,000 worth of cannabis for sale and supply in September 2018.

But Allen initially appealed this new cocaine conviction, claiming the cocaine found by gardaí in a bush near where Allen and friends were gathered at the Pontoon in Midleton was not his.

Gardaí previously told the court they saw Allen throw an item into a bush as gardaí approached the group that night. They said they then found the cocaine at that same place where they said they saw Allen throwing the object.

Defence solicitor Don Ryan said Allen would withdraw his appeal against that cocaine possession conviction and enter a guilty plea at a sitting of the Circuit Court in Midleton on Tuesday.

Contests severity of sentence

But Allen still contests the severity of his sentence for cocaine possession.

State solicitor John Brosnan said there was “a concern” about Allen’s “ongoing behaviour”.

Weeks after Allen was released from Cork Prison in May 2020 on a cannabis offence, he was arrested for cocaine possession, the court previously heard.

Judge Helen Boyle said it made sense not to go through the details of the case on Tuesday appealing the severity of sentence and deferred it until it could be dealt with as part of the hearing for the triggered cannabis sale or supply offence.

Allen’s 15 months suspended sentence for cannabis sale or supply, triggered by the cocaine possession charge, was to be heard on April 26 but that has now been moved to May 20 in Cork’s Circuit Court.

“I will adjourn sentencing until 20th of May at the Circuit Court in Cork,” Judge Boyle said.