Thursday 29 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 10713Cultivation of cannabis · Co. Dublin · 3 May 2023

Boat yard worker jailed for six years over cannabis grow house in Tallaght

In May 2023, gardaí seized cannabis plants and seeds worth €68,149 at a grow house in Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, Dublin, and stopped Niall Smith, a boat yard worker, from climbing out of an upstairs window. Smith pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis at the house on 3 May 2023, and a charge of possessing cannabis for sale or supply was dropped. The co-accused, who owned the house, was sentenced to five years with the final 12 months suspended, though one article gives four years. The latest development, reported by thejournal.ie in March 2026, is that Judge Jonathan Dunphy jailed Smith for six years with the final 12 months suspended, while the case summary gives seven years after mitigation.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced1 Mar
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
  • Niall Smith, a boat yard worker, was jailed for cultivating cannabis in a grow house.
  • All three bedrooms of the upstairs of the house had been converted to grow cannabis.
Where
The grow house was at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, County Dublin.
When
The offence was committed on 3 May 2023.
Investigation
  • Gardaí stopped Smith from jumping out of an upstairs window, which one article describes as a bathroom window.
  • Gardaí seized cannabis plants and seeds worth €68,149.
  • Gardaí found about €2,155 in cash in Smith's car.
Other details
  • Smith told gardaí he had gone upstairs to use the bathroom while having tea with a friend.
  • Smith has five previous convictions, including one for cultivating cannabis in 2013.
  • The co-accused, who owned the house, bypassed the electricity meter.
Charges
  • Smith pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis at the Killinarden address on 3 May 2023.
  • The prosecution dropped a charge of possessing cannabis for sale or supply.
In court
Judge Jonathan Dunphy said the scale and sophistication of the growing system were aggravating factors.
Sentence
  • The judge set a headline sentence of nine years, reduced to seven years for mitigation, with the final 12 months suspended for two years; one article reports a six-year sentence with the final 12 months suspended.
  • The co-accused was sentenced to five years with the final 12 months suspended; one article gives four years instead.
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA boat yard worker was jailed for six years for cultivating cannabis in a grow house. (thejournal.ie)
  • whatThe house had been converted upstairs to grow cannabis in all three bedrooms. (thejournal.ie)
  • whereThe grow house was at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght. (thejournal.ie)
  • whenGardaí prevented Smith from jumping out of an upstairs window in May 2023. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationGardaí seized cannabis plants and seeds worth €68,149. (thejournal.ie)
  • investigationGardaí found about €2,155 in cash in Smith's car. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeSmith pleaded guilty to cultivating cannabis at the Killinarden address on 3 May 2023. (thejournal.ie)
  • chargeA charge of possessing cannabis for sale or supply was dropped by the prosecution. (thejournal.ie)
  • courtJudge Jonathan Dunphy said the scale and sophistication of the growing system were aggravating. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge set a headline sentence of nine years, reduced to seven years for mitigation. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe judge suspended the final 12 months of the sentence for two years. (thejournal.ie)
  • sentenceThe co-accused was sentenced to five years with the final 12 months suspended. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherSmith has five previous convictions, including one for cultivating cannabis in 2013. (thejournal.ie)
  • otherThe co-accused, who owned the house, bypassed the electricity meter. (thejournal.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 1 Mar2026
    Sentencedthejournal.ie, first report
    Man caught climbing out bathroom window of cannabis grow house jailed for six years

    Reports the sentencing of Niall Smith to six years, with the final 12 months suspended, for cannabis cultivation at Killinarden Heights, Tallaght. It gives the co-accused's sentence as five years with the final 12 months suspended, and elsewhere as four years.

    convicted, Niall Smith, 51, male, named, irish (judged from name)Niall Smithconvicted, male