Buncrana plasterer admits drug dealing charge following Garda raid on his home

An out-of-work plasterer, fined €350 in court for dealing drugs, has claimed that he was using cannabis for pain relief and had shared the substance with family and friends.

James McMenamin, of 4 Millfield, Buncrana, pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of controlled drugs for unlawful sale or supply contrary to Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Buncrana District Court heard how more than €220 worth of cannabis, as well as evidence related to dealing, was found following a Garda raid of Mr McMenamin’s home more than two years ago.

In a separate matter, the 44-year-old defendant has been further charged with a Section 11 weapons offence, of brandishing a knife during the course of a dispute at Upper Main Street, Buncrana on February 23, 2025.

Garda Sergeant Conor Mulkerns outlined the evidence against Mr McMenamin in relation to the drugs offence.

He told the court how on June 8, 2023, Garda Conlon obtained a search warrant from Judge Cunningham for Mr McMenamin’s premises. The search warrant was subsequently executed on the evening of June 19, 2023 at 7.45pm.

Garda Conlon searched the premises along with other members of the Gardai. During the course of the search, he located a brown substance wrapped in cling-film from inside Mr McMenamin’s pocket. He suspected it was cannabis resin.

Sgt Mulkerns said cannabis with a value of €201.88 was eventually discovered, while the cannabis resin was worth a further €18.79.

He said a weighing scale and a mobile phone were also seized from the property, while there was evidence related to dealing on the phone.

Under caution, Mr McMenamin made “certain admissions”, the court was told.

Sgt Mulkerns told Judge Ciaran Liddy that the defendant had 23 previous convictions, the most recent of which dated back to February 2018. These included assault causing harm, possession of drugs, and offences under the Public Order Act.

Defence solicitor Ciaran MacLochlainn said the guards were investigating another matter entirely when his client was inadvertently caught with the drugs.

“The guards obtained a search warrant to search his premises, but it wasn’t him or the drugs they were after – it was for another purpose; something else that they were looking about,” Mr MacLochlainn said.

“When the gardai came into the premises, my client told them about the cannabis which he had. He fully cooperated with the guards on the night.”

“He also had some cannabis resin in his pocket, which he gave to the gardai. They did seize his mobile phone, and there were some messages on the phone, where he was buying cannabis for himself from other parties. And he was actually sharing that with some of his relatives and friends.”

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Mr MacLochlainn said Mr McMenamin had been taking cannabis for medicinal purposes after sustaining an injury, which left him unable to work.

“My client is a 44-year-old man. He’s a plasterer by occupation, but he’s currently unemployed. He burst a number of discs in his back and he’s in severe pain. He’s unable to work, and he was taking the cannabis for pain relief.”

After hearing the evidence, Judge Liddy fined Mr McMenamin €350 for the Section 15 sale of drugs offence, with a deadline of six months to pay the sum.

He adjourned the Section 11 weapons charge against the defendant until January 27 next.

The defendant was also granted Legal Aid.