A youth who was expelled from a top Dublin fee-paying school after he was caught selling drugs there will be left without a criminal record and all charges dismissed if he makes a €500 donation to charity, a court heard yesterday.
The 17-year-old boy was charged under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act for possessing cannabis resin for sale or supply at his school, which he admitted, the Dublin Children's Court was told.
He had acted as an "agent" for his friends who had clubbed their money together and then got him to buy the drugs. Judge Bridget Reilly was told that school authorities reported the boy to the Garda, and he was arrested.
His family, who have never been in trouble, understood that the school had no other option but to expel him and also disciplined the boy themselves.
Garda Noel Harrington said the youth had €190 worth of cannabis resin. When he was questioned, he was co-operative and made a frank statement admitting possession of the cannabis which was intended for redistribution among his schoolmates.
Judge Reilly was told the boy and some friends had pooled their money to buy the drugs which was for their own use. After collecting the money, the boy got the supply of cannabis for them. Apologising to the court, the boy said: "Sorry, I did not expect this to happen."
The case was put back until yesterday for the furnishing of a probation and welfare service report which Judge Reilly said was very favourable. The report indicated that the boy was sorry for what he had done and was not likely to reoffend.
She was satisfied that the youth had not been motivated by profit and that he and some other schoolmates had pooled the money to share the cannabis.
She would apply Section 11 of the Probation Act and dismiss the charges if the youth made a donation of €500 to charity within three weeks.