Killybegs man fined after cannabis plant found in back garden

A Killybegs man was fined €250 after Gardaí found a cannabis plant growing in his back garden, to the value of €800.

Gerard Bray, 55, Church Road, Killybegs, appeared before Donegal District Court at Ballyshannon Courthouse.

He pleaded guilty to an offence dated from July 1, 2021, where he did without licence, cultivate plants of the Genus Cannabis, contrary to Section 17 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 (as substituted by Section 11 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1984, as amended by Section 8 Irish Nicotine Board (Miscellaneous Provision) Act 2006) and contrary to Section 27 of the Misuse of the Drugs Act 1977 (as substituted by Section 6 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1984).

Inspector Tony Byrne told Judge Ciaran Liddy that Garda officers executed a search warrant.

He said: “During the course of the search, cannabis was found in the back garden of the house. This is for the plant that was growing over the garden. It was just growing in the back garden at the value of €800.”

Inspector Byrne told the court that Bray had 22 previous convictions, with his most recent conviction dating from November 2021.