Man claimed he was ‘bullied’ into growing cannabis in his home

A Dublin father who walked into a Garda station and claimed he had been bullied out of his home by a man who was using it to grow cannabis plants will be sentenced next week.

Paul Slevin, described by gardaí­ as "a harmless sort of fellow", pleaded guilty to cultivation of cannabis plants worth €23,200 at Ballygall Road East, Finglas, Dublin 11 on April 12th, 2015.

Detective Garda David Sheffield told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that Slevin was extremely drunk on arrival at the station.

He told Dara Hayes BL, prosecuting, that Slevin (48) said he met a foreign national in a pub and offered him a place to stay, as he was homeless.

The defendant told gardaí ­ that his lodger began growing the cannabis plants, changed the locks and forced him to sleep on the sofa, the court heard.

“He bullied me out of my apartment so I lost my home,” Slevin said in his statement to gardaí­.

The defendant, of Rathvilly Park, Finglas, Dublin 11, told gardaí­ he didn’t know the man’s surname or phone number and said he was ordered to tell nobody about the cannabis plants.

The court heard that a search of the apartment uncovered a black tent with 29 cannabis plants, heat lamps and a large water butt. Samples of the plants sent for testing revealed they were not ready for harvest, but would be worth €800 each when mature.

Terminated

“That would mean a total haul of €23,200,” Det Garda Sheffield said.

He told the court that gardaí­ found letters addressed to Slevin, saying his tenancy was being terminated and asking to leave the apartment.

During cross-examination, Det Gda Sheffield agreed with Seamus Clarke SC, defending, that it was highly unusual for someone to arrive at a Garda station and own up to something like this.

He said his client, a qualified stone mason, has no previous convictions but has been charged with three public order convictions since this incident.

Det Garda Sheffield told Mr Clarke he believed Slevin invented a fictitious story because his tenancy agreement was up and he had nowhere to store the plants.

“He didn’t realise he had amassed so much cannabis and the whole thing had gotten out of control,” he said.

Mr Clarke said the defendant should be given credit for his guilty plea, for literally handing the plants to gardaí and for taking steps to address his addiction.

Judge Patricia Ryan adjourned sentencing until October 12th. The maximum term of imprisonment for this offence is 14 years.