A Ballyhaunis man who was found in possession of three bricks of cannabis with a combined weight of 116g and a street value of €1,856 was jailed for three months this week in Ballyhaunis District Court. Tomaz Woloszcyzynski, 77 The Maples, Ballyhaunis, denied in court that the cannabis was for sale, and said it was for his own personal use.
Garda Mary Golden told the court that on November 9 2009 she entered the house of Woloszcyzynski with Garda Donal Raftery on foot of a search warrant they had obtained to search the house for drugs. She said the defendant opened the door and let her in and on the kitchen table she found a block of cannabis and a weighing scales along with a roll of tinfoil. There was also a hardback copy with names and amounts written beside them on the table. Garda Golden said she searched the rest of the house and in a bedroom found two more blocks of cannabis in a wardrobe, and an ESB envelope which had more names and amounts written on it.
After Woloszcyzynski was arrested he told Garda Golden in an interview that the cannabis was for his own use and he smoked it with friends in his house. He also told the garda the names on the lists in the book and in the envelope were for cheap vodka that he was selling. Woloszcyzynski reiterated this claim on the stand when giving evidence in the case. However Judge Mary Devins decided that the State had proven its case.
For the possession of cannabis for sale or supply she convicted and fined Woloszcyzynski €500 and jailed him for three months, for the possession of cannabis she convicted and fined him a further €200. Recognisance in the event of an appeal was also fixed.
