'It was a bad call' — West Cork man sentenced for growing cannabis for his ill father

The father used cannabis to medicate for a serious medical condition despite his own doctor not recommending he do so

Sgt Paul Kelly told the court that the house had been searched under warrant and that eight young cannabis plants had been detected. File photo

A man has received 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to growing cannabis for his ill father.

Orin Cooney, 25, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and to cultivating plants that, on maturity, would have had a value of €6,400.

At Skibbereen District Court, Judge James McNulty heard that Mr Cooney had been given the seedlings for the plants by his father, who normally lives in the UK but who had been staying at the house for a time and who used cannabis to medicate for a serious medical condition - despite his own doctor not recommending he do so.

Mr Cooney, with an address at Knockarourke, Donaghmore in Co. Cork had been charged with the cultivation of drugs and simple possession of cannabis at Adrigool, Skibbereen on August 3, 2020.

Sarah McShane, aged 23, who had been staying at the same property at the time, also pleaded guilty to the charges of possession and cultivation in Adrigool on the same date.

Sgt Paul Kelly told the court that the house had been searched under warrant and that eight young cannabis plants had been detected, which on maturity would have been worth €6,400. A probation report produced for the court suggested the value at the time of seizure was €2,500. The value of the cannabis herb seized was €572.

Colette McCarthy, solicitor for both Mr Cooney and Ms McShane, told the judge that Mr Cooney's father lives in the UK but had been using cannabis at the address where the plants were found. Ms McShane, 23, had no previous convictions and Ms McCarthy agreed she had been "terribly foolish" in getting involved.

Judge McNulty dismissed the possession charge against her under the Probation Act and ordered a conditional discharge on the charge of cultivation. Mr Cooney had four previous convictions and Judge McNulty said of Mr Cooney's father: "It was a bad call to ask your son to commit a criminal offence in West Cork."

The judge said there were pharmaceutical and medicinal products widely available to Mr Cooney's father and Ms McCarthy said his own doctor had not recommended that he use cannabis to address his illness.

Mr Cooney was convicted and fined €100 for possession of cannabis and ordered to do 200 hours of community service in lieu of 90 days in prison.