A former general election candidate, Ming the Merciless, was fined £150 at Galway District Court yesterday for possession of cannabis.
Ming Alexander, as his name appeared on the charge sheet, was fined £75 each on two charges of possessing cannabis "skunk" and cannabis resin in the Newcastle area of the city on August 17th.
The 25-year-old Co Roscommon native, formerly known as Luke Flanagan, polled 548 first-preference votes when he ran on a cannabis legalisation platform in Galway West in the last election. About 40 supporters accompanied him to court yesterday.
During a 10-minute court hearing, he told Judge Garavan that he was a healthy person who did not drink tea or coffee and believed that cannabis was less harmful than alcohol.
"I knew it was an offence, but I do not believe that it is harmful and I have been smoking it for about eight years."