Cancer sufferer who grew cannabis for pain relief given community service

The court heard that the defendant was diagnosed with skin cancer in 2010 and since then she has had eight operations on her neck and 15 operations related to malignant melanoma

Stacey Harcourt had told gardaí that she had undergone chemotherapy but this hadn't worked and that “cannabis is the only thing that works.” File picture: Paddy Cummins/IrishPhotoDesk.ie

A cancer sufferer who was growing cannabis at home as pain relief for herself has been ordered to carry out work in the community in lieu of a prison sentence.

At a hearing last February, the court heard that gardaí acting on confidential information executed a search warrant for the north Dublin home of Stacey Harcourt (41) and found a pillow case containing plastic bags of cannabis herb. Harcourt told gardaí that she had clipped the leaves from plants she had grown herself from seed.