A 45-YEAR-OLD father of four who had cultivated cannabis plants to make his own cannabis cookies, butter and wine was yesterday given a three-year suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to breaches of drug legislation.
David Flynn pleaded guilty yesterday at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis for sale or supply, and to cultivating cannabis plants at his home at The Thatch, Glantane, Mallow, Co Cork, on January 23rd last.
Flynn had made biscuits, desserts, pizza, butter and cannabis wine from the cannabis plants he cultivated. He called his cookies “Marakesh Biscuits” and his wine “Creme de Gras”, while other products were called “Cannon Butter” and “Alternative Pizza”.
Det Sgt Michael Corbett told the court that Flynn, who used to run a pizza company before operating his own mobile chip van, would supply his cannabis creations to his friends on social occasions in exchange for drinks. No money ever changed hands.
Det Sgt Corbett said gardaí searched Flynn’s rented house in Glantane on January 23rd last on foot of information received, and that he was very co-operative from the outset. He brought them to two upstairs rooms where he was growing the cannabis plants.
Both of the rooms had been adapted for growing cannabis plants, and gardaí found a total of 21 plants as well as 224 grammes of dried cannabis herb that had an estimated value of €2,695, said Det Sgt Corbett.
The garda confirmed gardaí found no drug packaging or weighing equipment at the scene, and gardaí were satisfied Flynn used the cannabis solely as an ingredient in his cookies and other products, and that he never charged for them.
Judge Patrick Moran said he accepted Flynn was not operating as a drug dealer in the usual sense of the term. “I am satisfied that you were not in this business for the purpose of making money,” he said. However, he said it was still a very serious matter.
He imposed a three-year prison sentence, which he suspended on condition the defendant enter a bond to keep the peace for a period of three years.
