Man seeks bail in relation to €122,000 drug seizure in Laois
The man applied for bail at the sitting of Portlaoise District Court this afternoon
A man who was charged in connection with the discovery of drugs valued at €122,000 in Laois applied for bail this afternoon.
Micheal Leigh(46) of Tullamoy, Stradbally, appeared before Portlaoise District Court accused of having drugs for sale or supply at his address on July 15, 2026.
Detective Garda David Montgomery said he was objecting to bail due to the seriousness of the charge and over concerns the man might commit offences. He gave evidence of arresting the accused at Tullamoy and said the man made no reply under caution when charged.
Det Montgomery said it was envisaged that there might be further charges in the case. He told Judge Andrew Cody that members of the Laois Drugs Unit searched the house and found 4.75kgs of drugs in the property and a further half a kilo in a barrel outside.
Gardaí also located zip lock bags and 22 empty vacuum pack bags at the property, he said.
He explained that it would be alleged that the defendant admitted to having an addiction and to spending approximately €700 per week on drugs. He said Gardaí were of the belief that the defendant was storing the drugs for an unknown person in order to get money to feed his own habit and he asked that he be remanded in custody.
Solicitor Chris Hogan was representing the accused and he said solicitors in the South East have been dealing with custody cases. He made the comment in respect of the ongoing legal dispute.
He asked if his client had been cooperative during the search.
“Yes. He arrived back during the search and was very cooperative,” said Det Montgomery.
Mr Hogan noted one of the substances discovered had yet to be forensically analysed. Det Montgomery agreed. He said it was his belief that the defendant was a drug addict and he said “he lives in a house with no electricity or running water” and had “no trappings of wealth whatsoever”. He said he had looked into the family background and “they are very decent” people.
Mr Hogan asked Det Montgomery if there were conditions which might allay his concerns about his client. He suggested that the man move out of the house and reside with a family member and get help for addiction.
Det Montgomery said the defendant “hadn’t told his family about the addiction, how bad it had become”. He said strict conditions would allay his concerns.
Mr Hogan said his client enjoys the presumption of innocence and said there was no evidence before the court that if he was granted bail he would go out and commit offences. He said that suggestion was speculative.
“Garda Montgomery has been very fair. He says in his evidence that there are conditions that can allay his concerns,” said Mr Hogan.
He asked Judge Cody to grant his client bail and said there was a sum of €2,000 before the court and a family member had attended with the accused. He provided the address of another family member and said the man could reside there and get help. Mr Hogan said delays in forensic analysis could mean the case isn’t heard for a year.
Judge Cody said they were very serious charges and he would like to double the bail surety. The family member agreed to provide an independent surety of €4,000 and was accepted by the court.
Judge Cody imposed a number of bail conditions which included that the man reside at an address, which was provided in the court, outside Laois, that he remain of sober habits, obey a curfew, provide Gardaí with a mobile number if one is available and attend addiction services. At the request of Mr Hogan, Judge Cody applied reporting restrictions in relation to the location of the bail address.
He remanded the man on bail to appear again before Portlaoise District Court on July 23.