Man 'knew well what he had' when he threw suspected cocaine in River Nore - Kilkenny Court

A judge told a man who claimed he did not know what was in a bag he threw into the river that she had not come down in the last shower.

She was addressing Ante Hundric, 8 Abhainn Rí, Kilmanagh, who was convicted of obstructing a garda search by throwing a bag suspected to contain drugs into the River Nore.

Sergeant Morgan O’Connor had told the court that on October 1 last, at 12.20am, gardaí on patrol at John’s Quay, Kilkenny, observed a male acting in a suspicious manner.

When Mr Hundric was informed that he was going to be searched he put his hand in his pocket and pulled out a bag containing a white substance, then tried to throw it in the river.

Gardaí tried to stop Mr Hundric, suspecting the white powder was cocaine, but failed and the bag was thrown into the river and lost.

Mr Hundric told gardaí that he was holding it for someone else and was not for his own, personal use.
He had no previous convictions.

Solicitor Ed Hughes admitted this was a serious matter. His client had moved to Ireland from Croatia two years ago, he explained, met his partner here and is working here. However, he lived a lonely life and didn’t have many friends here. On this night Mr Hundric was at the pub having a few drinks, trying to meet new people.

He met one individual. The solicitor said he suspected that the person knew gardaí were conducting searches and asked his client to hold something for him.
Mr Hundric panicked when he was stopped by gardaí, Mr Hughes said.

His client has aspirations to return to Croatia and join the military. He never used drugs in the past and didn’t know what he was holding on the day, Mr Hughes said.
Mr Hundric’s biggest concern is that he will have a conviction and is open to making a donation to the Court Poor Box, the solicitor said.

“He knew what he had that day, that’s why he threw it away,” Judge Geraldine Carthy said. “‘Shower’ and ‘last’ comes to mind,” she added.

Mr Hughes said that having spoken to his client he seemed ‘an innocent’.

Judge Carthy said Mr Hundric had gotten a package, it wasn’t a toy, “he knew well” what it was. When the gardaí came he threw it into the river.

Mr Hughes said Mr Hundric accepted what he did was wrong and he was reckless.
Following an assessment by the Probation Service Mr Hundric was convicted and sentenced to carry out 200 hours of Community Service in lieu of four months imprisonment.