Kildare €7m cannabis accused is refused his passport for a holiday
Flight and accommodation details could be produced, barrister Brian Jacob said
A man charged in connection with the discovery of an alleged €7m worth of cannabis had a request for the return of his passport for a family holiday refused.
The application was made by John Weekes, whose address was given as Branswood, Athy, and who is one of four people who appeared before court in early April following the discovery by gardaí of the drug at Crookstown Upper, Ballitore, on April 1.
The initial hearing took place at a special late sitting of Naas District Court on Good Friday night.
Barrister Brian Jacob told the court Mr Weekes was seeking the return of the passport for a family holiday between July 8 and July 18.
Mr Jacob said this was arranged before the prosecution was initiated.
He added that Mr Weekes was granted bail in the High Court on May 12.
Mr Jacob said the defendant was “looking down the barrel of a quite serious offence”.
READ NEXT Woman sleeps with ladder against door because of 'out of control husband,' Kildare court told
He also told Judge Desmond Zaidan that Mr Weekes had complied with all bail conditions and had attended all court hearings.
Mr Jacob added the holiday would last for ten days and flight and accommodation details could be produced.
He stated that Mr Weekes had strong ties to the Athy area and he said Spain is a fellow European Union state and is signed up to the European arrest warrant programme.
However Garda Elaine Commins said the gardaí were opposing the application.
Sgt Mary Meade said the defendant was aware that a holiday had been booked and “this should have been brought up in the high court.”
Judge Zaidan commented he did not think he had the power to vary an order granted by a higher court but he said he would refuse the request.
The judge added the defendant is a flight risk given the quantity of drugs found and the possibility that there are “significant unknown players in the background” of the case.