A MAN found in possession of over €1,300 worth of cocaine has been given a chance to avoid a conviction.
The case of Jacob Dabek has been adjourned for 12 months.
Dabek, with an address at Glenpatrick Park, Balybofey, appeared before Letterkenny District Court this week.
Sergeant Jim Collins said Gardai were on patrol on October 1, 2019, when they spoke with Dabek, who took off running.
Gardai caught up with Dabek. Officers detected a strong smell of alcohol and in subsequent exchanged a quantity of suspected cocaine was found.
Gardai executed a search of his address under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
There, 19.627 grammes of cocaine, with an approximate street value of €1,372, was found.
Dabek, who has no previous convictions, was present in court.
“It doesn’t take a lot of cocaine to reach that value,” Dabek’s solicitor, Mr Rory O’Brien, said.
“He had a short-lived dalliance with it, but he has now moved on.
“What occurred was that he left the scene and Gardai were suspicious that he had thrown something away.”
Mr O’Brien said his client had recently undertaken various courses and was getting his life on track.
“The value is significant and it is cocaine,” Judge Deirdre Gearty said.
“He is obviously on a road that would concern me.”
Judge Gearty asked that Dabek make a €500 contribution to Saint Vincent De Paul and told him to remain of good behaviour and not to come to Garda attention.
Judge Gearty adjourned the case to July 4, 2022, asking that a Probation report and a Garda behaviour report be submitted on that date.