Suspended sentence for drug possession

A three month suspended sentence was handed down to a woman who was caught with €1,500 of drugs. 

Joanna Bednarz, 35, of 18 The Birches, Portarlington admitted having the drugs at the house on November 19 last year. 

She is charged with having amphetamines for sale or supply at the property.  

Sgt JJ Kirby told the court the home of the accused was searched under warrant and there was €1,500 of drugs were found.  Gardai also discovered a weighing scales and deal bags, he said. The woman has no previous convictions, added Sgt Kirby. 

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client was pleading guilty to the charges. He said she is a 35 year old single mother from Poland who is the sole carer for her young son who has special needs. She had worked for ten years in a clothing company but hadn’t worked since taking up her role as full time carer, he explained. 

He said she began abusing drugs and the addiction escalated. “The drugs she had were for her and her friends,” he said. “The issue arose out of  a drug habit,” he said. Since being arrested she has attended with her GP and has provided a urine sample to show she is drug free, said Mr Fitzgerald.

Judge Miriam Walsh described it as a substantial amount of drugs. She fined the woman €500 and handed down a three month sentence which she suspended for 12 months.