Cork student who bought drugs on ‘dark web’ given chance to avoid jail

A college student who imported cannabis from the United States after purchasing it online using the “dark web” will be discharged from the indictment if he meets certain conditions.

The student, originally from Co Cork, told gardaí he intended to smoke or bake the more than €4,000 of cannabis and admitted to ordering drugs online on three previous occasions, but denied being a drug dealer.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the student’s mental state was “a little precarious” at the time, but things have gotten “back on track” for him since and he has gone on to found a disabled students’ advocacy group.

The student pleaded guilty to the importation of cannabis at Trinity Halls, Dartry Road, Rathmines, on March 13, 2019. He also pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis and Ketamine for sale or supply at the same address on the same date. He has no previous convictions.

‘Enormous potential’

At a previous sentencing hearing, Judge Melanie Greally indicated she was “not completely opposed” to imposing section 100 of the Criminal Justice Act 2006. This section allows the court to impose a fine and defer the passing of a sentence of imprisonment for the offence.

Today, Judge Greally said she intended to impose section 100 due to the fact that the student “is a very young man” with no previous convictions who has “enormous potential” in terms of his future opportunities which would be severely restricted by his having a conviction.

The judge said it was clear from the evidence that the offending coincided with a particularly low point in the accused’s life and an overall deterioration of his well-being, which led to heavy use of cannabis.

She said that since his detection, the student has affected “a very impressive turnaround in terms of his own circumstances”. She said he has “overcome his dependency on cannabis and excelled academically”.

Judge Greally set an indicative sentence of 16 months imprisonment, but said she would defer the imposition on condition that the accused pay a €500 fine, carry out voluntary work for St Vincent de Paul for three months and keep the peace and be of good behaviour during the adjourned period.

She said that in the event that all conditions are complied with she would discharge the student from the indictment and adjourned the matter to March 21, 2022.

Original court hearing

At a previous hearing in November, Detective Garda Eamonn Murphy told Grainne O’Neill, prosecuting, that a worker from An Post selected a package sent from California to the accused’s then address for further inspection and found it contained cannabis with a value of €4,426.

Det Gda Murphy said gardaí subsequently searched the student’s then address and found further drugs, including Ketamine worth €1,000 and a further small amount of cannabis.

In interview with gardaí, the man said he had recently ordered drugs online using the “dark web”, paying €1,100. He said he had ordered drugs online on three previous occasions and paid using a cryptocurrency.

The accused told gardaí that he had intended to smoke or bake the cannabis he ordered. He said he was a drug addict, having first taken drugs aged 11, but denied being a drug dealer.

The judge previously adjourned the matter to allow for the canvassing of charitable organisations and for a proposal to then be put to the court regarding a suitable entity that could benefit from the student’s experience and skill-set.