Belfast judge compliments yet jails Polish cannabis-grower
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
24.08.2015 17:28
A judge has praised the oratorial prowess of a Polish man accused of cultivating cannabis in Belfast, Northern Ireland, but handed him down a six-month sentence nonetheless.
Photo: Glowimages
Przemysław Pril, who represented himself at the Belfast court, claimed that he was growing the 20 plants for personal use – partly for medicinal purposes.
The 28-year-old argued in court that he was a habitual hoarder, an argument he likewise used to explain the presence of GBP 15,000 in cash at his former Belfast home.
While summing up, Judge Gemma Loughran said that “there are lawyers who could learn from the care you have taken in presenting your material.”
She noted that “the prosecution accept you are a prepper ... someone who hoards against a catastrophe,” and that it could not be proved beyond reasonable doubt that the man was growing the plants in order to sell quantities of marijuana.
However, she sentenced him to six years in prison for cultivating the illegal drug. (nh/rk)
Source: belfastlive.co.uk