Student found with ecstasy gets Probation Act

A RAID on a Dublin nightclub led to 16 people being charged with drug related offences, six for having drugs with intent to supply, a court heard yesterday.

Sgt Mark Kavanagh, of Pearse Street Garda station, told the Dublin District Court that gardai raided the UFO nightclub last September 30th.

Luke Holland (22), a student of Oakley Avenue, Rathmines pleaded guilty to the possession of ecstasy tablets with intent to supply. The Probation Act was applied.

During the trial, Holland's solicitor, Mr Michael Hanahoe said there was "not a teenager in the city that has not had ecstasy tablets in their possession".

However, Judge David Riordan said he could not let the comment pass and he was happy there were teenagers who had not come into contact with the drug. "Teenagers who do resist the pushers should have their efforts recognised."

Sgt Kavanagh said Holland had been found with five ecstasy tablets and £95 cash. An acquaintance gave him the tablets and the cash. Holland put them in his pocket, not knowing he had been given drugs. On being arrested, Holland said he did take ecstasy but did not know he had the five tablets in his pocket and was not a dealer.

Sgt Kavanagh said Holland had been co operative and he would not classify him as a drug dealer. "I believe this is a once off thing. The defendant was hanging around with a bad crowd."

Mr Hanahoe said there were a lot of ecstasy tablets in the city. Holland had "suffered a great deal of anxiety" as a result of the charge. He was a young man, studying, who had his whole life ahead of him. A conviction could place him in a "very invidious position".

Judge Riordan said he accepted Sgt Kavanagh's view that Holland was not holding the tablets as a dealer. "If he was I would proceed in a different manner, having regard to the menace these drugs present to society."

He told Holland: "If you come before the court again on a similar charge you will not get the benefit of the Probation Act."