Suspending the 22 month sentence, the Belfast Recorder warned Giles: “You will not get another chance.”
A Co Antrim businessman caught with cannabis with a street value worth up to £70,000 was today spared prison.
Martin Edward Giles, 38, of Bawnmore Drive, Newtownabbey, received a 22 month sentence suspended for two years after he previously pleaded guilty to charges of possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply.
He further admitted three counts of possessing Class A drugs and two of simple possession of cannabis.
Belfast Crown Court heard that on Thursday, August 3, 2023, police carried out a search of a business unit known as ‘Flame of Thrones’ in Dargan Crescent, Belfast.
Giles was the registered owner of this business and his home was also searched as part of the police operation and drugs were found at both locations with the cannabis haul valued at between £62,000 and £70,000.
The prosecution outlined how the defendant’s mobile phone was analysed and found to contain evidence of drug dealing.
Giles was interviewed twice by police “but did not tell the truth in relation to the drugs”.
He claimed he intended to set up a cannabis facility for patients to come and use their legal prescriptions on his site.
Giles told police that he believed all his substances were legal “which was untrue”. He also denied being a dealer or a consumer of drugs.
The court heard Giles has two previous convictions for possession of drugs.
Judge Patricia Smyth told the defendant: “Drug dealers go to prison. That is the law and the reason they go to prison is because they destroy other people’s lives.
“Drug dealing is a scourge on society.”
The court heard the defendant is a father-of-six, who has four children with his current partner of 17 years and they are expecting their fifth child next year.
The Belfast Recorder said she had received a letter from the defendant’s partner which set out “the background to the children and their family life which is neither overstated nor exaggerated”.
Judge Smyth outlined how 18 months ago Giles took on a new business called Daisies in Belfast city centre and has developed a “very successful chocolate and pastry venue along with a coffee dock”.
It currently employs four people and recently received a grant from the Department of Communities to take on four trainees.
“I accept that this is an important small business in Northern Ireland and if an immediate custodial sentence was imposed it would have a significant impact on the employees and potential employees,” said Judge Smyth.
“The effect of a custodial sentence would mean the closure of the business with the immediate loss of family livelihood and wages to staff.”
A medical report said that Giles had a long history of drug addiction from a young age.
The court heard Giles is now drug free and he successfully passed a hair follicle drug test which showed he was now absent from cannabis.
Judge Smyth said there were exceptional circumstances, including the defendant’s personal factors, his family situation along with the impact of the closure of his business, which would allow her not to impose an immediate custodial sentence.
Suspending the 22 month sentence, the Belfast Recorder warned Giles: “You will not get another chance.
“If you come before the court within the next two years having committed any other offence, particularly a drug offence, you can expect to go straight to prison for 22 months in addition to any other offence the court decides to impose.
“The court will not give a drug dealer another chance,” added Judge Smyth.
The court granted a destruction order for all of the seized drugs.
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