A recovering heroin addict awaiting sentence on a number of charges and in court for an updated probation report, said the reason he failed a recent, mandatory urine test was because he had bought some cannabis in the local “herbal shop”(sic ).
“It relaxes me. What can I say? Everybody in the country is doin’ it. Every junkie in the country is doin’ it,” said Derek Horan (28 ), of Willow Park, Athlone in his evidence.
Horan had been charged last year with obstucting a garda, to which he pleaded guilty in July, as well as to a number of theft and burglary offences in the same month.
Noting the result of the urine analysis in the probation report, Judge John Neilan threatened Horan with jail so he took the stand.
He told the judge he has had “drug issues” since he was 13 years old and that it was “a past I want to get away from”.
He told the court he was on methadone since January and that it was “working out perfectly”.
“You can ask [Dr] Jimmy Leech on that,” said Horan.
In questioning by Mr Quinn, he conceded that though he had tested negative for heroin over the last month, he had tested positive for cannabis.
“I try to advise young fellas to stay away from drugs, I tell them to play football or rugby,” said Horan.
“You play rugby?” asked the judge.
“Yeah. I play a bit with my nephews,” said Horan.
“Oh. I thought if you played rugby you’d get lost in a scrum and never be seen again,” said the judge.
“I’ll put this matter, with some reluctance, back to May 5,” he added.
