Courts / Dublin / Report
Father-of-two who cultivated cannabis plants gets suspended sentence
Summary
Stephen Savege, a 31‑year‑old father of two from Clondalkin, pleaded guilty in the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to cultivating 32 cannabis plants at his home on 25 March 2014. The plants were valued at €25,600, with harvested herb worth €3,700. Garda Marcella Shannon, after receiving a tip‑off, obtained a warrant and found the plants, seeds, stalks, cultivation equipment and instructions. Savege admitted he had a "good set up", no drug debts and sold his product. He claimed he began smoking cannabis to self‑medicate chronic pain after a serious accident in his youth and that the drugs he bought were not strong enough. His lawyer, Damien Colgan SC, argued that Savege could not qualify as an electrician because of his injury. Judge Martin Nolan, hearing the case, gave Savege a three‑year suspended sentence, noting that he had learned a "salutary lesson" and that imprisonment would not be beneficial.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Father-of-two who cultivated cannabis plants gets suspended sentence. Charges or matters: cultivation of cannabis at his home on March 25, 2014. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 25, 2014 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2015-05-01 Publication
Why: Mr Colgan submitted to Judge Martin Nolan that his client had been unable to qualify as an electrician because of his injury. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: cultivation of cannabis at his home on March 25, 2014 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Nolan suspended the sentence for three years.
Places mentioned
Topics
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