“This is his first time in a court and no doubt it will be his last,” is how a defence solicitor summed up his client who appeared before Judge John King at Galway District Court on a charge of possessing cocaine.
The judge was told by Sean Acton, solicitor that the defendant was 22, worked full-time in a hotel and had never been in trouble before in his life. The experience had been a very hard lesson for him, he added, and he pleaded for the judge not to impose a criminal conviction as this would have very serious consequences for him.
The defendant was stopped by Gardaí on Market Street in Galway on March 23 last. When searched he was found to have cocaine to the value of €150 in his possession.
Mr Acton pleaded that his client had no previous convictions, had been fully co-operative with the Gardaí and was pleading guilty to the offence.
Judge King acceded to the request for leniency as it was a first offence, but warned the young man that if he came before the court again on a similar charge he couldn’t expect such lenience.
“I don’t want to see you again; you won’t be so lucky the next time,” he said.
A contribution of €500 was made to the court poor box and the Probation Act applied.
