A man who is currently in prison in respect of other matters has avoided paying a fine after being ordered to spend one day, concurrent with the sentence he is serving, in custody.
Samual Makula, of Amiens Street, Dublin 1, appeared before Dublin District Court via videol ink from Limerick Prison where he is being held.
The court heard that Makula, who has 34 previous convictions, was charged with a Section 3 drug offence after he was found to be in possession of €100 worth of cannabis.
On the 24th of August this year the accused was observed “acting suspiciously” on Sheriff Street Dublin by Garda Kate O’Brien Laidlaw and Garda John Francis Brereton where he was found to be in possession of the drugs.
He was previously prosecuted in Cloverhill District Court on two counts of possession of drugs, intoxication, threatening and abusive behaviour, as well as failure to appear.
Maluka indicated to the court that he would be pleading guilty in respect of the charge in circumstances where he has other court matters outstanding in “Galway, Clare, and Limerick,” the accused said.
He previously received a one month prison sentence for a breach of the Public Order Act 1997.
Judge Finan ordered him to pay a fine of €110 in respect of the Section 3 drugs charge, with the accused telling the court, “I’ll have to get on to me family to send me some money so I can pay it,”
Hearing this, the court decided to allow Maluka to serve a day in jail “in default” in lieu of paying the fine, which is to run concurrent to his current term in custody meaning he will serve no effective jail time for the offence.