Man swallowed cannabis 'in panic' as gardaí approached, court told

Accused was arrested and brought to Bandon Garda Station where he failed drugs test 

Accused received a mandatory one-year driving disqualification at Bandon District Court. Picture: Denis Minihane

A man failed an oral test for drugs after he swallowed the cannabis in his possession when he was approached by gardaí.

Robert Janusauskas pleaded guilty to a charge of driving under the influence of cannabis when he was detected by a Garda patrol on Lower Road in Kinsale at 1am on July 5 last year.

Mr Janusauskas was one of two people in a van, Bandon District Court was told, with a Garda observing he appeared to be under the influence of an intoxicant.

Mr Janusauskas was arrested and brought to Bandon Garda Station, where a test for alcohol was negative but an oral fluid tests provided a positive reading. A subsequent blood sample showed Mr Janusauskas had excessive levels of cannabis in his system.

His barrister, William Bulman, said the case was “unusual” as his client had swallowed a small amount of cannabis when he saw gardaí approaching him.

“He was driving,” Mr Bulman told Judge James McNulty. “He saw that he had a small bit of cannabis in his possession. He ingested it and that is what caused the reading of the drug-driving.” 

Mr Bulman said his client had swallowed the drugs “in panic”.

Judge McNulty heard Janusauskas drives for a living and had five previous convictions. The 36-year-old, with an address at Apt 8A, Main St in Kinsale, received a mandatory one-year driving disqualification, deferred until the start of November. He was also convicted and fined €100.