A CLOUGHLEIGH man has told Ennis District Court that it was “pot luck” that a cannabis plant happened to be growing in the garden of his home.
Matthew Reddan, 27, with an address at Shallee Drive, pleaded guilty to a charge of cultivating a cannabis plant at his address on June 14 last.
Defence solicitor John Casey told the court that his client had possession of a cannabis seed and decided to plant it.
“He put it in a pot and it grew in the pot outside. He might’ve even forgotten about it,” he said.
Mr Casey told presiding Judge Patrick Durcan that the court often hears cases whereby lighting and other equipment is put in attics to facilitate the growth of cannabis plants. In his client’s case, the cannabis was grown outside and it was just “pot luck” that it grew in that environment.
Judge Durcan asked “was it a case of Jack and the beanstalk?”
Garda Inspector David Finnerty outlined that the defendant’s residence was the subject of a drugs search and gardaí located a single cannabis plant growing in the back garden.
Judge Durcan asked gardaí what happened to the plant when it was located. “Was it transplanted?” he questioned. Inspector Finnerty said it was “pulled up and seized”. He said the total value of the plant was €800.
Judge Durcan fined Reddan €250 and gave him six months to pay the fine.
He warned him, “You would want to be careful what you grow in the garden anymore”.
By Carol Byrne
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.