Young Mayo man told he made "a very, very stupid decision"

A judge has told a young man he made a “very, very stupid decision” by risking a criminal conviction for drugs possession.

Keenan Norman, aged 21, 54 Cluain na Rí, Ballina, pleaded guilty at the local district court to possessing cannabis for his own use.

The court heard that Garda Oisin McDonagh observed Norman speaking to a group who were inside a BMW car in the Cluain na Rí area on May 11, 2024.

When he spotted Garda McDonagh, Norman crouched at the side of the car. The garda approached and got a smell of cannabis from Norman but a drugs test was negative.

Norman and another male left the area on foot while the BMW pulled off.

Garda McDonagh found a weighing scales and a clear bag near where the car had been parked. The clear bag contained a substance later confirmed to be cannabis with a value of €62.

Norman later admitted owning it. He has three previous convictions, though none are drugs-related.

Solicitor Denis Molloy said his client works as a butcher and this was his fourth time in court, which meant missing a day's wages, meaning he has now lost almost the equivalent of one week’s wages due to court appearances.

Mr. Molloy said Norman has not come to garda attention since this incident, was fully cooperative and asked Judge Vincent Deane to strike out the matter.

Judge Deane said he wanted to see Norman do “something definitive” to prove he realises the risk he is taking of receiving a drugs conviction, which would limit his ability to emigrate.

“This was a very, very stupid decision and a huge risk to take. A butcher is a valuable trade all over the world and a conviction of this nature would stop him travelling,” he said.

Judge Deane agreed to strike the matter out if a donation of €200 was made to home-visit palliative care nurses in Mayo.

“If you are caught again, you won’t get a chance again,” warned Judge Deane.

* Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.