Suspended sentence for drugs in Portlaoise

A maintenance man found with drugs valued at €1,552 in Portlaoise has been given a suspended sentence. 

Dan Bruha, 40, with an address at 53 Tiogue Manor, Portlaoise admitted having drugs when searched at Portlaoise Garda Station by gardai on April 20 last year. 

Gardai said the defendant was arrested and searched at Portlaoise Garda Station where a quantity of cannabis and a white powder was discovered concealed in his backpack and in his jacket. The powder was sent to the forensic laboratory and confirmed as amphetamines. 

The court heard he had five previous convictions, four for road traffic offences and one for possession of drugs. 

Solicitor Barry Fitzgerald said his client was originally from the Czech Republic and has been in Ireland for 14 years where he works in maintenance. He said the man had developed a “serious egregious addiction to cannabis” but was dealing with it through therapy. 

“The defendant is clearly a man who went off course at the time of the offence,” said Mr Fitzgerald. 

Mr Fitzgerald produced a letter from the man’s psychologist. He explained that his client had intended to plead guilty from the beginning but had to wait on the forensic laboratory tests as Gardai had initially suspected the white powder was cocaine when in fact it was amphetamines. 

Judge Andrew Cody ordered the destruction of the drugs and sentenced the man to two months suspended for three years.