GARDAÍ believe that a Doneraile man caught with €12,000 worth of cocaine at his home and €12,500 in cash in 2019 was actively dealing drugs at that time.

Garda Liam Hosford said at the sentencing hearing at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that this belief was the basis for the search under warrant at the home of Finbarr Jewitt, aged 43, on November 22, 2019.

Gardaí went to his home at St Oliver Plunkett Place, Doneraile, County Cork, on that date and found the stashes of drugs and cash.

Garda Liam Hosford testified at the sentencing hearing that gardaí were investigating the sale or supply of drugs in the Doneraile area and they obtained a warrant to search the defendant’s home.

“During the search, gardaí discovered €12,000 worth of cocaine in a bedroom. It was in the pocket of a jacket. Also found was a digital weighing scales and a large number of small plastic drug dealing bags,” Garda Hosford said.

Jewitt was arrested two days later and taken to Mallow garda station for questioning in relation to the cache of cocaine and the seizure of €12,500 in cash also.

He did not make admissions in the course of that questioning. However, he subsequently pleaded guilty to the drug-dealing charge.

Prosecution barrister, Imelda Kelly, applied to have the cash forfeited to the state. Judge Helen Boyle acceded to that application.

Defence barrister Donal O’Sullivan said the defence consented to that forfeiture application.

The accused man had previous convictions including one for obstructing gardaí and five for having drugs for his own use. The drugs he had in his possession on those previous questions were small quantities of cocaine in two cases, ecstasy in two others and cannabis in one search. Alice Fawsitt defence senior counsel said a lot of the defendant’s previous convictions dated back to when he was much younger.

She said that he was now dealing with a drug and alcohol problem through counselling and the probation service.

Ms Fawsitt submitted that it would be of more benefit to society he continued with that rehabilitation with the threat of jail term hanging over him as a deterrent.

Judge Boyle agreed to adjourn sentencing for one year. Conditions were added to his bail that require him to abide by directions from the probation service, keep the peace and be of good behaviour and continue to engage with addiction services.