59k of cannabis found at house in Cobh

GARDAÍ seized €59,000 worth of cannabis in a search for drugs at a house in Cobh in May 2018 and today two women faced sentencing for the different parts they played in the crime.

Martina Griffin, aged 38, who now lives at Winsford, Cheshire in England, pleaded guilty to having drugs for sale or supply when their street value exceeded €13,000.

Helen Hastings, aged 32, pleaded guilty to a charge of allowing her home at 78 Russell Heights to be used for storing cannabis on the same date, namely May 22, 2018.

Detective Garda Cormac Ryan said gardaí obtained a warrant to search the house on that date and found the cannabis with a street value of over €59,000.

Both women pleaded guilty to the parts they played in the crime.

The prosecution accepted that Hastings had the lesser role and simply agreed to allow her house to be used to store a black plastic bag in which the illegal drugs were found.

Martina Griffin accepted responsibility for the drugs.

However, defence senior counsel, Elizabeth O’Connell, said Griffin was doing very well in her life in England and was returning to Cork to face the court case. Ms O’Connell said the probation service put her at a low risk of reoffending and said Griffin was prepared to comply with all directions of the probation service in the UK.

Judge Seán Ó Donnbháin said adjourned sentencing in her case until June 22, 2020.

He finalised the case against Hastings, who was represented by Siobhán Lankford SC, and gave her an 18-month suspended sentence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.