A man who was found in possession of four ecstasy tablets for his own use was asked by Judge Mary Devins if he was practising responsible parenting as he was putting his children at risk of serious harm in having these drugs in the vicinity of his children.
Sergeant James Caddan said in his evidence that on February 23 at 10.45pm at the Mall, Castlebar the car of James Skeffington, Carroweeney, Killasser, Swinford was searched where four ecstasy tablets were found behind the sun visor. The defendant admitted they were for his own personal use.
Defending solicitor Tom Walsh said that the 29-year-old married father of three, whose wife is expecting another child, has previous drug-related convictions, was working in the building industry, but is now unemployed.
Mr Walsh said that Skeffington has since stopped using drugs and is willing to undergo drug analysis and produce the results to the court.
Judge Devins said that the defendant seems to be a “habitual drug user” and then asked the defendant if he could be satisfied that his children could not have come into contact with the ecstasy tablets that he possessed as if he took them in his car “as children are inquisitive by nature” they might have pulled down the sun visor and mistaken the tablets for sweets.
The judge enquired “you think that’s responsible parenting?” before adding that some people in this country would give “their eye teeth to have a child” and yet this defendant was putting his children at risk.
Judge Devins said that “on the face of it I should send you straight to prison” but adjourned the matter until November 19 for a community service assessment report whereby if deemed suitable Skeffington would carry out 120 hours of community service in lieu of three months in prison. Judge Devins also convicted and fined the defendant €750.
