Cork woman threw cannabis in toilet as gardaí tried to execute search warrant

Gardaí executing a warrant to search for drugs saw a woman looking out an upstairs window and then heard the sound of a toilet flushing before they forced their way in to carry out the search.

32-year-old Aeiden Barry of The Court, Ardcashel, Watergrasshill, Cork, admitted the obstruction of the search and having cannabis for her own use but claimed through her solicitor that the reason she delayed in opening the door was that she was about to get into a bath.

Sergeant Gearóid Davis said that after 7pm on Tuesday, August 8, 2023, gardaí executed a warrant at the defendant’s home.

“On knocking at the door, Gardaí observed her looking out a top floor window and she refused to open the door.

“Gardaí breached the front door and gained entry to the property. Prior to entry, gardaí heard the upstairs toilet flush and on searching the property they observed a quantity of cannabis in the toilet bowl.

“She made admissions that she had the cannabis for her own personal use and attempted to flush this down the toilet on arrival of gardaí,” Sgt Davis said.

While the 32-year-old pleaded guilty to impeding a drugs search and having cannabis for her own use, her solicitor Frank Buttimer said there was an explanation for why she did not come to the door immediately.

“When gardaí called she was about to get into a bath and she heard the commotion downstairs. She would not agree that there was non-co-operation.

“She had to pay a considerable sum of money (for the front door repair) on foot of the garda entry.

“She would have opened the door but she was in some state of undress.

“She had cannabis in a tissue. She does accept she threw that in the toilet. The question of flushing might be an issue. There was never a risk of anything more being found (other than the nominal amount of cannabis found in the toilet bowl),” Mr Buttimer said.

As for what might have been found, Sgt Davis said: “All I can say is that nothing else was found.” Judge Mary Dorgan said she would deal with the case by way of fines.

For having cannabis for her own use, Ms Barry was fined €100. On the charge stating that she impeded or obstructed Garda Cormac Axson in that she flushed a quantity of cannabis down the upstairs toilet following gardaí knocking on the door announcing that gardaí were executing a search warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act, she was fined €150.