Man caught with €500 of cannabis is banned for drug driving at Buncrana court

An outdoor activities instructor who had €500 worth of cannabis in his car at Buncrana Pier 18 months ago has been put off the road for one year for driving under the influence of drugs.

Cian Stevenson, of Drumlon, Bailieborough, Co Cavan, was fined a total of €350 at Buncrana District Court.

Solicitor Frank Dorrian indicated that the 33-year-old defendant wished to plead guilty to separate charges of drug driving and possession of cannabis.

Sergeant Emmet Brady gave evidence of the facts in court. He said Garda Kenny Merritt stopped a silver Seat Exeo vehicle at Buncrana Pier on the morning of Wednesday, August 2, 2023.

There was a strong smell of cannabis coming from the car at the time. Garda Merritt spoke with the driver, Cian Stevenson, whose eyes were bloodshot, and his speech was slow.

Mr Stevenson admitted to smoking a ‘joint’ earlier and the defendant was informed that he and his vehicle would be searched under Section 23 of the Misuse of Drugs Act.

“He handed Garda Merritt a black plastic tub and a grey metal box containing different strains and strengths of suspected cannabis,” Sgt Brady explained, adding that the cannabis later turned out to have a value of €500.

Garda Merritt then made the requirement for the driver to provide an oral fluid sample and it subsequently confirmed the presence of cannabis in his system. Mr Stevenson was arrested on suspicion of drug driving and brought back to Buncrana Garda Station, where designated nurse McKee took a separate specimen of his blood.

The blood sample was sent to the Medical Bureau of Road Safety and came back with a concentration of 62.1mg and 7.5 cannabis. The court heard that Mr Stevenson has two previous convictions, one under the Misuse of Drugs Act and the other a road traffic offence.

Defence solicitor Mr Dorrian told Judge Eiteain Cunningham that his client accepted responsibility for his actions.

“He’s an outdoor activities enthusiast; he’s actually an instructor in that realm. He’s a single man with no children and unfortunately, he had taken some cannabis.

“He takes the consequences now, he has pleaded guilty to the offences, and I can’t really put the matter much further forward,” Mr Dorrian added.
On the charge of drug driving, Judge Cunningham imposed a conviction and a one-year driving disqualification, as well as a fine of €200.
She recorded a separate conviction for the Section 3 drugs possession charge and imposed an additional fine of €150. Mr Stevenson has been given a five-month deadline to pay the €350 total.

At the conclusion of the hearing, Mr Dorrian asked for the driving ban to be put back for six months on behalf of his client.

“Could I ask for a postponement until August to enable him to try and deal with things?”

Judge Cunningham queried whether there would be any Garda objection to the proposed postponement and was told that there wouldn’t be. She agreed to defer the start of the one-year driving disqualification until August 12.