The plants were initially valued at almost €20,000 - that was later revised downward to €7,800.
A former director of Keogh's crisps company has been given a chance to avoid a criminal record for growing 39 cannabis plants on his land in north Dublin.
Anthony Keogh, of Newtown Lane in Oldtown, admitted cultivating them without a licence, but claimed he only did so out of curiosity and never planned to sell them.
Our Courts Correspondent Frank Greaney reports:
"64yo Anthony Keogh was arrested last July after Gardaí discovered 39 cannabis plants growing in his greenhouse.
They were seedlings at the time and while they were initially valued at almost €20k, they were later revised downward to €7,800.
In any event, Gardaí were satisfied that he hadn’t grown them for sale or supply.
They accepted it was a “gardening experiment” he undertook due to his curiosity about the medicinal benefits of cannabis.
Judge Melanie Greally accepted his remorse and also considered the embarrassment and shame he has brought on himself and the family business as a mitigating factor.
She described what he did as a serious error of judgement and gave him a chance to avoid a criminal record if he makes a €200 contribution to the Peter McVerry Trust."
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