Longford woman with drugs for sale or supply warned do drug testing or 'decide own fate'

A judge has directed that a young woman, who was found with two bags of drugs worth a total of €500 in her car last summer, completes court-ordered drug testing and warned if she fails to do so 'she will be deciding her own fate'.

Rachel Donlon (22) of Church View, Lanesboro, county Longford pleaded guilty at Longford District Court on Tuesday to being in possession of two separate bags of the drugs for sale or supply in her vehicle at Rappareehill, Lanesboro on July 20, 2024.

At a previous hearing last September, the court heard Garda David Gerrity was on patrol when he stopped the vehicle and he carried out a search of the car where he discovered two bags of drugs worth a total of €500 inside the vehicle.

During that hearing Judge Bernadette Owens was informed the defendant, a trainee hairdresser, now had a very different social circle compared to when the offence occurred.

On that occasion, Judge Owens requested a probation report with a restorative justice element which would explore the defendant giving something back to the community.

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Ms Donlon had no previous convictions.

However, solicitor Frank Gearty said his client, who maintains she is not presently taking drugs, has been unable to engage effectively with the probation service as she is 'struggling' in a particular area.

"The situation is that normally dealing with simple tasks like dealing with this really good opportunity which was given to do restorative justice, she found that mountain too high to climb.

"She didn't cooperate with the restorative service people and that is a very aggravating factor for her, but behind that there was no actual intent to be offensive to the court or the people that were prepared to reach out to her."

Judge Owens warned Ms Donlon she is before the court on a Section 15 (possession of drugs for sale or supply) charge that potentially covers a maximum sentence of 12-months.

"I was hoping I wasn't wasting her time by referring Ms Donlon to the probation service because I can finalise the matter, but in fairness if Ms Donlon feels that she's not able to engage with probation well then she is going to have a conviction recorded against her for a significant drug offence."

Judge Owens directed Ms Donlon to contact her GP and arrange for urine analysis and obtain a GP report and she said she would consider the case again on May 12.

"If there is a hint of any difficulty there then Ms Donlon has decided her own fate," she added.

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