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Man pleads guilty to €4 of cannabis

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    #32
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 28,118 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    I thought you had discretion when it came to cannabis these days, the law changed a while ago and he could have been let off with a caution. Has he previous, is that why it didn't happen?
    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/people-caught-with-cannabis-may-now-avoid-criminal-charge-1.4438472


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    #33
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    drunkmonkey wrote: »
    I thought you had discretion when it came to cannabis these days, the law changed a while ago and he could have been let off with a caution. Has he previous, is that why it didn't happen?
    https://www.irishtimes.com/news/crime-and-law/people-caught-with-cannabis-may-now-avoid-criminal-charge-1.4438472

    According to the article, he has 6 previous convictions and its not discretion, Its now included in the adult caution system

    "Mr Lee, 54, had six previous convictions, including five for possession of cannabis, the most recent dating from 2016."

    It doesnt clarify if all 6 are for simple possession


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    #34
    drunkmonkey
    Registered Users Posts: 28,118 ✭✭✭✭drunkmonkey


    That'll do it, so no discretion you have to give an adult caution.


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    #35
    Junkyard Tom
    Registered Users Posts: 10,117 ✭✭✭✭Junkyard Tom


    Someone should do a Freedom of Information request on the total costs of this amazing sting. Between police hours/overtime courts fees and whatnot it will probably cost the public several thousand euros.


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    #36
    Mullaghteelin
    Registered Users Posts: 624 ✭✭✭Mullaghteelin


    Shame on The Examiner for even reporting this.


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    #37
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,726 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    I don't see the need to plead guilty to 4 euros worth of cannabis - it's not like it can hear you.


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    #38
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 13,823 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    Stupid small amount, but that's the way it's going. As Niner said above, if you don't follow up you open yourself up to internal investigations, possibly prosecution and loss of your job. I left shortly before it was turning this way, as I had already let off a good few people with negligible amounts (threw it in the bin). If I was still serving and did that now, my job would be on the line. I know which option I would pick.

    But Niner explained it well above. We need the government to legalise and tax this. I am a big fan of it, and I haven't touched alcohol (aside from 2 parties) in the last 5 years. I'm personally better for it. But also, as others have said, they didn't get a warrant hoping they'd only get €4 worth, but this person has 5 previous convictions that are cannabis related, but we've no idea if that's also €4 or €4000 worth. I will say from experience, you don't get a search warrant on a whim.


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    #39
    Big Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭Big Gerry


    I wonder is the reason the Garda prosecute these sort of low level crimes is because they are afraid to go after the big criminals ?


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    #40
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 13,823 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    Big Gerry wrote: »
    I wonder is the reason the Garda prosecute these sort of low level crimes is because they are afraid to go after the big criminals ?

    Depending on the criminals, there may be some fear there. A local sergeant had some of the local gang (a prolific and well known thug group involved in large scale criminal activites) call to his house, he wasn't there, but his wife and 3 kids were. Said scrotes then went on to advise the wife that if sergeant didn't back off, they would burn the house down while they slept. It happens unfortunately.

    Most likely this is a drugs unit case, so unsurprisingly it revolved around drugs. They obviously expected more, as no one would give a warrant if there was only going to a small bit. I'd say this lad was prosecuted because it was on the foot of a warrant and he has previous.


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    #41
    Hobby farmer
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭Hobby farmer


    Big Gerry wrote: »
    I wonder is the reason the Garda prosecute these sort of low level crimes is because they are afraid to go after the big criminals ?

    I’m sure that fear can play a part for some guards, we have to remember that when families etc come into play it may be difficult to get in these guys faces. However just because the offence is small time doesn’t mean the offender is.

    In this case I haven’t a clue and I don’t want to throw shade on the man in the article.


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    #42
    Peregrinus
    Registered Users Posts: 26,078 ✭✭✭✭Peregrinus


    Junkyard Tom wrote: »
    Someone should do a Freedom of Information request on the total costs of this amazing sting. Between police hours/overtime courts fees and whatnot it will probably cost the public several thousand euros.
    But the central question, why did the guards mount this operation and what did they hope to achieve by it, won't be answered, because you can't discover operational matters about police investigations through an FoI request.

    It's a safe bet that, when the guards mounted this operation, they were hoping to uncover more than simple possession of 4g. Whether they had a solid foundation for that hope, obviously, we don't know.


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    #43
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Junkyard Tom wrote: »
    Someone should do a Freedom of Information request on the total costs of this amazing sting. Between police hours/overtime courts fees and whatnot it will probably cost the public several thousand euros.

    You don't persecute based on profit and loss.

    It costs thousands to prosecute a simple case but I don't think people would be happy to know that any pickpocket, burglar, mugger or fraud would only be prosecuted if the stolen amount was greater than the cost.

    Then there's non financial crimes to consider. No, you can't start allowing that to enter the equation.
    Big Gerry wrote: »
    I wonder is the reason the Garda prosecute these sort of low level crimes is because they are afraid to go after the big criminals ?

    No and it's been clearly explained already.


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    #44
    endacl
    Registered Users Posts: 22,233 ✭✭✭✭endacl


    wandererz wrote: »
    Lots of stuff.
    As one example,
    Just go into the D15 forum and read about the drug dealing Canada Goose wearing scrote/s who is/are impermeable.

    Impermeable? Like waterproof?

    Jaysus. That Canada Goose is just the thing with the weather we’re having…


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    #45
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,809 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    Just leagalise the stuff, and we can all get on with our lives!


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    #46
    10000maniacs
    Registered Users Posts: 4,805 ✭✭✭10000maniacs


    I don't know, but I want my taxpayers money to be spent sensibly.
    I don't regard this as sensible use of taxpayers money.


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    #47
    Wanderer78
    Registered Users Posts: 28,809 ✭✭✭✭Wanderer78


    10000maniacs wrote: »
    I don't know, but I want my taxpayers money to be spent sensibly.
    I don't regard this as sensible use of taxpayers money.

    our current approaches are clearly failing, an astonishing amount of public money is being wasted chasing this one


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    #48
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    10000maniacs wrote: »
    I don't know, but I want my taxpayers money to be spent sensibly.
    I don't regard this as sensible use of taxpayers money.

    So when it's election time tell your td you want Gardai to have the ability to use discretion again like they used to


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    #49
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Wanderer78 wrote: »
    our current approaches are clearly failing, an astonishing amount of public money is being wasted chasing this one

    While this is true, making something legal doesn't erase the cost of policing it.

    Cigarettes, alcohol and fuel are all legal but there's a lot of time and money put into licensing, importation, quality control and enforcement still. Is it covered by the taxation? Probable but criminals will continue to operate by smuggling and undercutting the licensed options


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    #50
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    jaxxx wrote: »
    Becoming increasingly endangered I'm afraid.

    It’s extinct now, seriously.


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    #51
    Big Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭Big Gerry


    The Gardai never seem to arrest the Junkies who are selling drugs on Dublin's boardwalk every day of the week.


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    #52
    enricoh
    Registered Users Posts: 4,836 ✭✭✭enricoh


    A mate of mine got done last year with a fivers worth last year at a checkpoint, the ban Garda got a smell off his breath.
    Car towed away, him arrested and brought 20 mile to the station. 5 of them trying to figure out how the new drug testing machine worked without success to see if he was drug driving.

    They rang a doctor to take bloods and he said he'd meet them in a station nearest him. 2 cops with him en route to the station when the head cop rang and told them to get back out on checkpoint and stop wasting time on it!
    He went to court, a day off work and adjourned, went again a month later n e200 fine. Had to pay solicitor on the double.

    Maybe a more efficient system doesn't suit the cops, courts etc!


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    #53
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,726 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    Big Gerry wrote: »
    The Gardai never seem to arrest the Junkies who are selling drugs on Dublin's boardwalk every day of the week.

    Isn't it just beating a dead horse? You harass a junkie 50 times, arrest him 50 times, convict him 50 times, but there's no corrective action that fundamentally changes the social reality of junkies in this state of play. So just jog on and decriminalize it IMO, maybe more would seek rehabilitation if they didn't fear prosecution.


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    #54
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,726 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    enricoh wrote: »
    A mate of mine got done last year with a fivers worth last year at a checkpoint, the ban Garda got a smell off his breath.
    Car towed away, him arrested and brought 20 mile to the station. 5 of them trying to figure out how the new drug testing machine worked without success to see if he was drug driving.

    They rang a doctor to take bloods and he said he'd meet them in a station nearest him. 2 cops with him en route to the station when the head cop rang and told them to get back out on checkpoint and stop wasting time on it!
    He went to court, a day off work and adjourned, went again a month later n e200 fine. Had to pay solicitor on the double.

    Maybe a more efficient system doesn't suit the cops, courts etc!

    Lawyers make lawmakers. So, there is probably a kernel of truth in there.


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    #55
    Big Gerry
    Registered Users Posts: 764 ✭✭✭Big Gerry


    Overheal wrote: »
    Isn't it just beating a dead horse? You harass a junkie 50 times, arrest him 50 times, convict him 50 times, but there's no corrective action that fundamentally changes the social reality of junkies in this state of play. So just jog on and decriminalize it IMO, maybe more would seek rehabilitation if they didn't fear prosecution.


    I agree that the drug laws need to be reformed.


    But the Gardai shouldn't be ignoring open criminality that is going on right under their noses.


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    #56
    RulesOfNature
    Registered Users Posts: 237 ✭✭RulesOfNature


    wandererz wrote: »
    What's this country coming to.

    Taking someone to court for €4 of cannabis but ignore the rest of the **** being committed out there by serial criminals & scrotes?

    The probation report & two random urine-analysis tests are going to cost hundreds. Plus Garda & court time.

    What a waste!

    https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/courtandcrime/arid-40290185.html

    You people have no idea how big the pull of Vintners lobbying here in Ireland. We're at Reefer madness 2.0. Marijuana is a gigantic threat to the alcoholic industry.


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    #57
    Overheal
    Registered Users Posts: 81,726 ✭✭✭✭Overheal


    RulesOfNature wrote: »
    You people have no idea how big the pull of Vintners lobbying here in Ireland. We're at Reefer madness 2.0. Marijuana is a gigantic threat to the alcoholic industry.

    I remember there was some Irish town years ago set to decriminalize and then shortly before that went forward, a bunch of vandalism was done of the headshops etc. and so the argument won out that decriminalizing would lead to druglord retaliation and it was best to leave it alone


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    #58
    Hobby farmer
    Registered Users Posts: 85 ✭✭Hobby farmer


    enricoh wrote: »
    A mate of mine got done last year with a fivers worth last year at a checkpoint, the ban Garda got a smell off his breath.
    Car towed away, him arrested and brought 20 mile to the station. 5 of them trying to figure out how the new drug testing machine worked without success to see if he was drug driving.

    They rang a doctor to take bloods and he said he'd meet them in a station nearest him. 2 cops with him en route to the station when the head cop rang and told them to get back out on checkpoint and stop wasting time on it!
    He went to court, a day off work and adjourned, went again a month later n e200 fine. Had to pay solicitor on the double.

    Maybe a more efficient system doesn't suit the cops, courts etc!

    Cool story.... it’s always a mate or a lad down the road in these ones. The head cop rang?? Either your mate full of it or you are.


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    #59
    BloodBath
    Registered Users Posts: 10,299 ✭✭✭✭BloodBath


    Niner leprauchan wrote: »
    While this is true, making something legal doesn't erase the cost of policing it.

    Cigarettes, alcohol and fuel are all legal but there's a lot of time and money put into licensing, importation, quality control and enforcement still. Is it covered by the taxation? Probable but criminals will continue to operate by smuggling and undercutting the licensed options

    Nonsense. They wouldn't be able to match the quality, consistency or price of it if it was legal even with heavy taxation. It would literally be half the going rate it is now for a superior product even with heavy taxation like it is in other countries.

    There isn't a booming black market for illegal home brew alcohol in Ireland. It would be the same for weed.

    Why import it when it could be grown and sold here creating a lot of jobs which generate addition tax. It would add billions to the economy and create thousands of jobs.

    I'm not saying there's no negatives but generally people who smoke it will do so regardless of the legality of it. Might as well get some tax and jobs out of it.


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    #60
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    BloodBath wrote: »
    Nonsense. They wouldn't be able to match the quality, consistency or price of it if it was legal even with heavy taxation. It would literally be half the going rate it is now for a superior product even with heavy taxation like it is in other countries.

    There isn't a booming black market for illegal home brew alcohol in Ireland. It would be the same for weed.

    Why import it when it could be grown and sold here creating a lot of jobs which generate addition tax. It would add billions to the economy and create thousands of jobs.

    I'm not saying there's no negatives but generally people who smoke it will do so regardless of the legality of it. Might as well get some tax and jobs out of it.

    Apologies, I forgot that importing illegal sustances thereby avoiding insurance, Duty, tax and employment costs isnt a viable criminal enterprise and thats why no criminal gangs, mafias or the like are engaged in smuggling.

    Yes, there is a booming industry for smuggled diesel, alcohol and tobacco. Your ignorance or the attempt to change this to 'home brew' scenarios doesnt change this.

    Its very lucrative and has been for many years to our friends that havent gone away and is why theres dozens of sellers on Moore Street alone


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    #61
    mohawk
    Registered Users Posts: 1,781 ✭✭✭mohawk


    enricoh wrote: »
    A mate of mine got done last year with a fivers worth last year at a checkpoint, the ban Garda got a smell off his breath.
    Car towed away, him arrested and brought 20 mile to the station. 5 of them trying to figure out how the new drug testing machine worked without success to see if he was drug driving.

    They rang a doctor to take bloods and he said he'd meet them in a station nearest him. 2 cops with him en route to the station when the head cop rang and told them to get back out on checkpoint and stop wasting time on it!
    He went to court, a day off work and adjourned, went again a month later n e200 fine. Had to pay solicitor on the double.

    Maybe a more efficient system doesn't suit the cops, courts etc!

    I don’t think a fivers worth should be prosecuted, however Guards should be getting drug drivers off the roads. So they were right to try test your friend.


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