Kildare drug dealer avoids custodial sentence
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A 21-year-old who was convicted for dealing drugs avoided a custodial sentence in Naas District Court on Thursday, March 2.
Valentine Cernetchie, with an address given as 15 Morristown View, The Paddocks, Newbridge, pleaded guilty to possessing €1,700 worth of cocaine at his home on February 25, 2022, following a search by gardaí.
Judge Desmond Zaidan was also told by gardaí that Mr Cernetchie previously pleaded guilty to possessing €284 of cannabis for the purpose of sale and supply in his home two years earlier.
It was heard that Mr Cernetchie has no previous convictions.
The judge said that he was concerned at the escalation of Mr Cernetchie’s behaviour, but defending barrister Mark Gibbons said that his client no longer deals drugs.
He added that his client was dealing drugs to feed his own drug addiction at the time; one he said his client has since overcome.
In addition, Mr Gibbons said his client is a working man and now has a young child with his partner.
Mr Gibbons further emphasised that his client has no previous convictions, submitted a guilty plea, and was willing to put forward a sum of money to the court as a gesture of remorse.
The judge told Mr Gibbons: "You and I see the effects of drugs every day in this court… illicit drugs destroy lives."
He said: 'if it was up to me, I’d send him to jail,' but instead opted to impose a total of €2,000 in fines on Mr Cernetchie.
In response, Mr Cernetchie apologised to the court. The drugs discovered were ordered to be destroyed.