North Cork man claimed he was only 'storing' drugs for somebody else

A 54-year-old Fermoy man who was caught with €12,900 worth of cannabis claimed that he was only storing the drugs for an unnamed person, but the investigating garda said the man was doing a bit more than storing and had transported the stash which he picked up in a field in Co Waterford.

Gerard Huffe of Seán O’Brien Park, Beechfield, Fermoy, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of cannabis and having the drug for the purpose of sale or supply to others.

Garda Cormac Axson said gardaí from the Cork County divisional drugs unit went to the home of Gerard Huffe at Seán O’Brien Park, Beechfield, Fermoy, on February 20 2024 to conduct a search under warrant.

The accused was present at the time and indicated that drugs were not to be found in the house but were present in the boot of his Mazda car parked outside which would have been part of the search in any event.

The cannabis weighing over 600 grammes had a street value of €12,900.

“Interviewed on four occasions he admitted possession for his own personal use but he denied selling the cannabis.

“His previous convictions included three for having drugs for his own use and one for dealing, for which he was given a six-month suspended sentence,” Garda Axson testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Brian Leahy barrister said the man had addiction problems but was now clear of drug use and attending for regular urinalysis.

Mr Leahy said that one of the urinalysis tests was positive for alcohol. He explained this by saying that Mr Huffe was very nervous about attending for the drugs test and had gone drinking because of this anxiety.

Judge Dermot Sheehan assessed the sentence at three years, adding that, ‘reluctantly’, he would suspend the sentence in its entirety.