A former director of Keogh’s crisps company has been given a chance to avoid a criminal record.
It's for growing 39 cannabis plants on his land in north Dublin.
Anthony Keogh, of Newtown Lane in Oldtown, admitted cultivating them without a licence.
However, he's claimed he only did so out of curiosity and never planned to sell them.
Anthony Keogh (64), a former director of Keogh’s crisps company, given chance to avoid criminal record for growing cannabis plants in a greenhouse at his home in Dublin.
Judge accepted it was a “gardening experiment” arising from a curiosity about the plant’s medicinal benefits— Frank Greaney (@FrankGreaney) July 14, 2021
Gardaí Arrested Him Last July
64 year old Anthony Keogh was arrested last July.
So that was after Gardaí discovered 39 cannabis plants growing in his greenhouse.
They were seedlings at the time.
While they were initially valued at almost €20,000, 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.
That due to his curiosity about the medicinal benefits of cannabis.
Judge Melanie Greally accepted his remorse.
The Judge 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.
So she gave him a chance to avoid a criminal record if he makes a €200 contribution to the Peter McVerry Trust.
