Sentencing of man for Offaly drugs offence adjourned again

SENTENCING of a man for a drugs offence was adjourned again at Tullamore District Court.

Dylan McGrath (26), The Sycamores, Edenderry had previously been before the court where he pleaded guilty to drugs possession at The Sycamores, Edenderry on February 28 last year.

Sentencing was adjourned to last week for an updated probation and welfare report and when it came before the court defence counsel David Nugent, BL, told Judge Andrew Cody he thought it was a “fair and accurate reflection” of the lifestyle Mr McGrath led.

Judge Andrew Cody told the accused he was to take up employment or training and Mr Nugent said he was actively looking for a job but he had no evidence to present to the court about that.

Mr Nugent suggested that the probation office would be able to assist the defendant with employment.

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Judge Cody adjourned sentencing again to May 6 next for evidence of training or employment.

The District Court heard in October that Mr McGrath had been caught in possession of €90 worth of drugs shortly after receiving a suspended sentence for a similar offence.

The court was told the man had received a nine-month suspended sentence on January 20 last for an offence the previous October.

His solicitor, Aisling Maloney said there was an addiction issue with her client but he was reducing his intake and she asked for a probation report for him, saying he would be starting a Safe Pass course and had suffered bereavements in his family.

At that court sitting Judge Valerie Corcoran said she did not believe Mr McGrath was serious about dealing with his addiction and warned the latest offence could trigger the imposition of the suspended sentence.

The judge noted the accused had been convicted of a drugs offence seven weeks after a previous conviction and said she did not want to waste the time of the probation service.

Mr McGrath said he wanted to get off drugs and the probation report was ordered.

In November the court was told he was still taking drugs and had been engaging in counselling but Mr Nugent said he had not yet seen the benefit of it.