Waterford man receives suspended sentence for cannabis supply

A 31-year-old Waterford man has been handed a suspended prison term and a fine after admitting to storing and distributing cannabis, with a local judge lamenting the scale of the narcotics problem.

Waterford man receives suspended sentence for cannabis supply

A 31-year-old Waterford man has been handed a suspended prison term and a fine after admitting to storing and distributing cannabis, with a local judge lamenting the scale of the narcotics problem.

Frank Mullane, who lives on Lismore Lawn in Waterford city, pleaded guilty to three matters before the district court: having cannabis in his possession, holding it with intent to sell, and a related financial offence. The events took place at his residence in January 2024.

During the proceedings, Judge Kevin Staunton expressed frustration about the magnitude of illicit substance activity in the region. He told the courtroom that the volume of such cases makes them extraordinarily challenging to address, noting the defendant had played a part in fuelling this ongoing issue.

Gardaí recovered cannabis valued at more than €3,000 during their search, along with a sum of money. Evidence indicated that Mullane had been passing the drug to people he knew and was being compensated for keeping the stash at his property on behalf of another party.

Representing Mullane, solicitor Ken Cunningham described him as a person of good character who supports his local area. He pointed out that his client works steadily in the landscaping sector and has kept out of trouble with authorities for the two years since the incident.

The accused had no earlier convictions. Character references were submitted to the bench. Cunningham also clarified that although some of the cash taken represented profits from dealing, another portion consisted of personal savings Mullane had put aside.

Judge Staunton ruled that the seized currency must be handed over to the State and destroyed. For the distribution count, he issued a 10-month jail sentence but suspended its execution for a 24-month period. A €1,200 monetary penalty was applied for simple possession, while the laundering matter was marked as taken into account.

Source: waterford-news.ie

Source: Google News IE — Crime (en)