Judge tells Cork man he should have flushed 'bad cannabis' down the loo

A Mallow man who held on to a €15,000 batch of bad quality cannabis from a friend would have been better off flushing it down the toilet rather than putting himself at risk, a sentencing judge told the 45-year-old.

Detective Garda William Hosford testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that on February 10 2023 gardaí went to the home of Patrick Buckley at 16 Sandfield Terrace, Mallow, County Cork, with a warrant to conduct a drugs search.

The accused was present and was asked if there were drugs on the premises. He brought gardaí to a cupboard in his bedroom and inside there was a gear bag with different containers of cannabis herb.

“He also handed over his phone and there was no evidence found on his phone in relation to drugs or drug-dealing.

“The value of the drugs was €15,000. He said he was not involved in selling or supplying drugs.

“A (friend) wanted to get rid of it and gave it to him. He smoked it, trying it a few times. It was not great and he tried to give it back.

“He smoked it himself even though it was bad. He thought he would not have to buy it.” 

Brian Leahy, defence barrister, said the defendant denied ever selling or supplying the cannabis to another person.

While he pleaded guilty to a sale or supply charge, the state’s position is that this is the charge which is brought when someone is caught with a quantity of drugs greater than could be immediately consumed by one person.

Det Garda Hosford said that from his experience investigating drugs cases the herbal material was brown rather than the normal green colour, and added:

“It did look like – for want of a better term – bad quality cannabis."

Mr Leahy said of his client: 

“He got involved in something quite stupid. He provides for his family. He has been a model citizen, apart from this. 

"He did not have an addiction but he had a drug use issue at the time.” 

Judge Helen Boyle noted the absence of aggravating factors and gave Patrick Buckley a three-year suspended sentence.

However, she did say this to the 45-year-old: “You would have been better off flushing it down the toilet, or otherwise getting rid of it.”