Illegal drugs found on Kilkenny man in four separate garda searches
Kilkenny District Court has jailed a man for seven months following his conviction on charges of being in illegal possession of drugs.
Lee Thornton, 41 Edmund Rice Estate, Callan, pleaded guilty to the four drug-related charges and one separate charge of a public order offence.
The public order offence occurred on February 18, 2026, at the car park of the SuperValu supermarket in Callan.
At 7.20pm gardaí observed Mr Thornton in the area. He was highly intoxicated and unsteady on his feet. He was arrested for his own safety.
The drugs offences took place on four other occasions.
Searches
On August 1, 2023, gardaí were on beat patrol at the skate park in Kilkenny City when they observed Mr Thornton attempt to conceal an object on his person.
He was approached and searched.
Gardaí found Mr Thornton had a blister pack of 13 alprazolam tables, worth €26.
On February 13, 2026, gardaí received a report of a man taking drugs at MacDonagh Junction Shopping Centre.
They attended the scene and met Mr Thornton, who was searched. Gardaí discovered he was in possession of 37 alprazolam tablets, valued at €74.
On January 8, 2023, Mr Thornton was searched while at Kilkenny Garda Station and found with 30 alprazolam tablets, worth €60.
He said they were for his own use and he had addiction issues.
On January 7, 2026, Mr Thornton was searched by gardaí at Patrick Street, Kilkenny.
He had a number of alprazolam tablets in his possession, worth €25. He said they were for his own use.
The court was told Mr Thornton had 27 previous convictions, including “a multiplicity” of convictions, including eight convictions for being in illegal possession of drugs and eight convictions for having drugs for sale or supply.
Solicitor Chris Hogan said his client unfortunately has an obvious and challenging difficulty with drugs.
These offences dated from 2023 to 2026, and it was his client’s words to gardaí in 2023 that were the most insightful, Mr Hogan said.
He told gardaí he had an addiction, that he had been released from prison and was struggling to cope with anxiety and depression.
He had sought tablets as soon as he was released.
Mr Thornton has insight into his struggles. He is looking to start a methadone programme and has been in touch with treatment centres.
He is currently trying to sort out a place for detox. He is in ‘a difficult cycle’ a the moment, the solicitor said.
Acknowledging his client’s large number of previous convictions, Mr Hogan said there were a lot for having drugs for sale or supply and there has been a de-escalation in that offending behaviour.
Struggling
“Unfortunately he is an addict, is on the streets and is just struggling at the moment,” Mr Hogan said.
He suggested a Probation Report would be of assistance to his client and the court.
The monetary value of the drugs found by gardaí was ‘at the lower end of the scale,’ the solicitor added.
Judge Geraldine Carthy said an aggravating factor in the case was the number of previous convictions, in particular for similar offending.
She said the threshold for custody had been reached.
Mr Thornton was convicted on all charges and a sentence of seven months imprisonment handed down.
Recognisance was fixed in the event of an appeal.