Garda tells court he could smell cannabis coming from Offaly man's car

A GARDA told the recent sitting of Tullamore Court that he could smell cannabis coming from an Offaly man's car when he stopped him in August 2021.

Before the court was Joao Batista Dos Santos, 5A Frederick Street, Clara and he was stopped by Sergeant William Elliffe from Athlone Garda Station on August 1, 2021.

The location was Ropers Court, Kilbeggan. He was summonsed for “driving / attempting to drive MPV while exceeding the drug limit (blood).”

The defending solicitor Patrick Martin said his client was pleading guilty to the offence. Sgt James O'Sullivan said the blood sample showed the presence of an illegal drug. Mr Dos Santos had no previous convictions.

The solicitor told the court that his client is a Brazilian national who is working in a meat factory in Kilbeggan. He said the blood sample was “a relatively low reading.”

Judge Andrew Cody convicted, fined €100 and disqualified him from driving for a year.