A convicted drug-dealer has been given a fully-suspended sentence after a court heard he had made a ‘remarkable turnaround’ in his life and had trained towards being an addiction counselor.
Ernest Ashman (39) pleaded guilty to possessing almost a kilo of cannabis valued at just under €20,000 for sale or supply at Rathcluain, Kiltimagh, Co Mayo on October 3, 2023.
Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court heard today/yesterday (THURSDAY) that Ashman was arrested after gardaí stopped him drink-driving a car erratically through a housing estate.
Members of the public had reported that a drunken man was attempting to enter houses, saying he had come for a house party.
Ashman, a father-of-six from The Meadows, Knockroe, Castlerea, Co Roscommon, was handed a two-year suspended sentence and disqualified from driving for six years.
Judge Eoin Garavan set a headline sentence of three years but reduced this to two years on account of mitigating factors including what he said was Ashman’s ‘remarkable turnabout’.
The court heard that Ashman is now working in a community centre and had studied at third level up to a Level 7 to be an addiction counselor, before deciding that the career was not for him.
‘His goal is to live an honourable, boring life and work full-time,’ said defence counsel Diarmuid Connolly BL.
Counsel added that Ashman had achieved 87 per cent in his most recent Level 7 qualification in counselling and was fully clean of drugs.
Ashman has six previous offences including two for drink-driving.
Giving evidence to Pat Reynolds DPP for the State, Garda Noel Folan said that Ashman’s car was swerving from side to side when he stopped him on the night.
Gda Folan could smell alcohol and cannabis and found a plastic bag containing cannabis on the front passenger seat and another large package of cannabis in the boot.
Ashman was arrested and was initially unfit for interview as his alcohol levels tested at 258ml of alcohol per 100ml of urine. The maximum permitted level for driving is 68ml per 100ml urine.
Gda Folan said Ashman pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and has not come to garda attention since.
‘He has made a remarkable turnaround,’ said Gda Folan, who agreed with the judge that Ashman was ‘not the most professional drug dealer’ and had drawn attention to himself.
Mr Connolly said Ashman’s life was a ‘story in two parts’ and that before his prosecution his life was absolute chaos, using drugs to escape his difficult childhood, but that he has now redeemed himself and has benefitted from very good addiction counselling.
Mr Connolly said Ashman described a counsellor as ‘somebody who allows you to meet yourself.’
Judge Garavan remarked it was a good job no other car had met Mr Ashman that evening when he was driving intoxicated and was a danger on the roads.
He instructed Ashman to abide by probation supervision for one year, continue to attend mental health counselling and attend a residential treatment course if required.
The judge commended Ashman on his rehabilitation, adding, ‘You have to keep it up.’