€250 fine for €5 of cannabis in Laois

A man was fined €250 after cannabis valued at €5 was found at his address.

Jason Ryan, 30, of 5 College View, Mountmellick was summoned to court after the drugs were found during a search at his address on January 7 last. 

Garda Donal Bigley said the drugs were discovered when gardai searched the property. 

“There was a small box containing what I believed to be cannabis herb,” he told the sitting of Portlaoise District Court. 

“Jason Ryan, the accused, admitted to me after caution that the drugs were his own,” he said. 

Garda Bigley said the defendant has 12 previous convictions. 

Judge Andrew Cody fined the man €250.