Judge orders release of 'exploited' cannabis grow house worker who court hears will now seek asylum
An ‘exploited’ migrant cannabis grow house worker is to formally apply for asylum here after her release from prison next week.
At Ennis Circuit Court today, Judge Gerald Keys ordered the release of mother of two young boys, Thuy Thi Nguyen (33) from custody on Monday.
A native of Vietnam, Ms Thi Nguyen has been in custody since her arrest last May at Limerick prison.
Judge Keys stated that Ms Thi Nguyen's prison term for the drugs offence is time served.
On May 31st last, a Garda sniffer dog, Laser detected cannabis grow-house worker, Ms Thi Nguyen concealed in the chimney breast of a luxury lakeside home.
The value of the mature 1,140 cannabis plants found at the 16 bedroom period home totalled €912,000.
Ms Thi Nguyen pleaded guilty to cultivating without a licence cannabis plants at Tinarana House on May 31st last contrary to Section 17 of the Mis-use of Drugs Act.
When Ms Nguyen was first cautioned and charged with the offence last June, she replied: “I feel upset and scared because they forced me to do it.”
Judge Keys stated that Ms Thi Nguyen had been ‘exploited’ in how she ended up working at the cannabis grow house at Tinerana House in east Clare.
Judge Keys state that the accused had told Garda she was forced to go and to stay at the house and never got paid.
Judge Keys ordered the release from custody of Ms Thi Nguyen next Monday.
Counsel for Ms Thi Nguyen, Yvonne Quinn BL stated that her client will then go to the State agency that deals with asylum applications.
Human rights lawyer with the Immigrant Council of Ireland, Catherine Cosgrave told the court today that she will assist Ms Thi Nguyen making the application for international protection or asylum.
Ms Quinn stated: “My client is the mother of two children and they are the reason she has left Vietnam and they are the reason she doesn't want to leave Ireland.”
Ms Thi Nguyen has not seen her two boys for a number of years.
Ms Quinn stated that Ms Thi Nguyen wants to provide for her children by getting work here.
She stated: “This is a clear case of exploitation of a vulnerable person.”
Ms Thi Nguyen had worked at the grow-house for a couple of months.
