THE SON OF celebrity chef Rachel Allen has been remanded in custody until the end of the month in order to give his defence counsel the opportunity to secure residential addiction treatment for the 19-year-old.
Judge Sean Ó Donnabhain remanded Joshua Allen in custody until 29 November after he said his response to the serious charges he was facing was “singularly unimpressive”.
Ó Donnabhain said the probation report had shown that the defendant “had not matured in the manner” he would expect for a person facing serious charges.
“There is no point in minimising what has happened. He has knitted his own jumper. I will not let him do that.”
Earlier this year Allen, with an address in Ballinmona, Shanagarry, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to two drugs charges at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Shanagarry on 30 August 2018.
The eldest son of Rachel and Isaac Allen pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply when the market value exceeded €13,000 or more. This charge was brought contrary to Section 15 (A) of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
Allen pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine on the same occasion. This is a Section 3 Offence of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
He also pleaded guilty to one other Section 3 charge at his home. The charge involves possession of cannabis on 5 of September 2018 at Ballinamona, Shanagarry.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that Allen was arrested in September of last year after the controlled delivery of a parcel containing the cannabis to an address in east Cork.
Customs in Portlaoise Mail Centre had become suspicious of the parcel which had a US postmark.
Detective Sergeant Michael O’Halloran told the court the package was intercepted by customs in Portlaoise. It was found to contain cannabis with a street value of €22,694. A controlled delivery was arranged addressed to Joshua Allen at Ballymaloe Cookery School.
The package was signed for and received by Allen. Gardaí observed him opening the package and intercepted. A small quantity of cocaine worth €66 was found in his wallet.
Allen was arrested and detained at Cobh Garda Station. He admitted it was his third or fourth time engaging in such a delivery.
He cooperated fully with gardaí and told investigating officers he secured the drugs from a female resident in California whom he met in east Cork. He had travelled to London and paid her €2,000 in cash for the drugs.
On 5 September 2018 a further small quantity of cannabis was found at Ballinamona, Shanagarry, Co Cork. The cannabis, which was found at his home, had a street value of €203.
Addiction
Siobhan Lankford, SC, representing Allen said her client was without previous convictions. She acknowledged that he had shown a lack of maturity in how he had responded to the serious charges and stated that he had left school at the age of 15. She said he had cooperated fully with gardaí.
Lankford said Allen had engaged with Arbour House for his addiction issues but had lapses in terms of his cannabis use. This, she said, was fairly typical in such cases. He has also engaged with Tabor Lodge pre-entry service for residential care but has missed one or two sessions.
Lankford said Allen was anxious to go into a residential facility in order to combat his addiction. In a bid to better himself he has volunteered with a homeless service and has returned to soccer.
Judge O’Donnabhain said Allen was “exceptionally young” to be before the courts for a Section 15A offence. He remanded him in custody until the end of the month to give his legal team an opportunity to secure residential care.
Allen was supported in court by his father Isaac. In a statement last year Rachel Allen and her husband Isaac said they were “devastated” by the arrest of their son in relation to drugs charges.
The couple issued a statement in a bid to “alleviate the frenzy of enquiry and speculation on going in relation to our son Joshua”. They said Joshua had admitted his guilt and was cooperating with gardaí.
The couple said their son had made a “huge mistake” which would lead to “profound consequences” for him.
Rachel Allen was brought up in Dublin and left home at 18 to study at the internationally renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School. Allen is a TV chef and author and teaches in Ballymaloe. She has appeared in television series for RTÉ and the BBC.
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