A mother who found a jar of ecstasy tablets in her son’s bedroom went directly to her local garda station and reported him.

Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, for Jason Murray of 46 Wyndham Downs, Ballincollig, County Cork, said it was an unusual situation where a "mother goes into his bedroom and discovers this and goes down to the guards."

“It seems to be the turning point in his life. He is back home, he has no more addictions. He is working full time. He is back to society. Back playing hurling and football. That is all documented in the probation report.”

Judge Olann Kelleher said that the serious aspect of the matter was that the accused had been selling ecstasy tablets and that people had died from taking such drugs in Cork in the past.

Mr Burke said there were no tick lists or phone evidence suggestive of drug dealing activity.

Judge Kelleher said Murray, 21, had pleaded guilty to having drugs for his own use and for sale or supply. He imposed a €650 fine on the possession charge. On the supply charge he said Murray could do 200 hours of community service instead of six months in prison.

Sergeant John Kelleher said that on December 13, 2016 the defendant’s mother informed Garda Richard O’Donnell that she had found a jar containing a number of yellow tablets in her son Jason’s bedroom.

With the permission of the defendant’s mother, Garda O’Donnell searched his bedroom.

"He took possession of the box which contained 128 yellow ‘Louis Vuitton’ tablets as well as two broken tablets which he believed to be ecstasy tablets.

“When conveyed to Mayfield garda station and interviewed about this, Jason Murray admitted to gardaí that the tablets were ecstasy and that he would sell a few of them and keep some for himself,” Sgt Kelleher said.