Gardaí calling at man's home at all hours to check him, court hears
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A SOLICITOR for a man on a 7pm to 7am curfew asked Judge Susan Fay to vary the times gardaí could call to his house to check if he is home because they are calling at all hours and in some cases at 2am in the morning.
That was the request at the local district court last week by solicitor Philip Meagher for his client Michael O’Brien (63), 3 Clonrooske View, Portlaoise.
The defendant was in court where he pleaded guilty to possessing €340 worth of cannabis for his own use and to possessing the drug for sale or supply from his address on 24 January this year.
Garda Sgt JJ Kirby said that during the house search at the time, gardaí found 17 deals of cannabis and drug paraphernalia. When arrested, he said that the defendant made full admissions during interviews.
He said Mr O’Brien had 13 previous convictions, three of these for possession of drugs for his own use and two for possessing drugs for sale or supply.
The defendant’s solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said the reason why her client had the drugs at the time was that a family member had built up a debt and he was assisting him.
She said: “He won’t be in this position again and is asking the court to give him credit for his early plea.”
Ms Fitzpatrick said that Mr O’Brien is currently on a court ordered curfew and only a couple of nights before he came to court, gardaí called to check on him at 2am.
‘‘The curfew is from 7pm to 7am and I’d ask the state to exercise its discretion.’’
Sgt Kirby said that he would liaise with the gardaí involved in the case and inform them of the request.
Judge Susan Fay remanded Mr O’Brien on continuing bail to 22 June and asked that in the meantime an assessment be carried out on him to determine if he would be a suitable candidate to undertake a community service order.
