The teenage son of celebrity chef Rachel Allen today pleaded guilty to three drugs charges following his arrest last year, as a court heard he is in treatment.
Joshua Allen, 19, from Ballinmona, Shanagarry, Co Cork, appeared at Cork Circuit Criminal Court where he admitted to two drugs charges at the famous Ballymaloe Cookery School last August.
He pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply when the market value exceeded €13,000 or more.
The teen also pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine on the same occasion, which is a Section 3 Offence of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
He also pleaded guilty to one other Section 3 charge at his home, possession of cannabis on September 5 last.
Allen appeared in court accompanied by a male family member and wore a dark suit.
Siobhan Lankford, SC, representing him, said that he had signed a plea of guilty going forward from the district court on six charges.
However, Ms Lankford stated that due to a duplication her client was now pleading guilty to three charges which encompass the other charges.
Ms Lankford said that her client was a ‘young man’ who had never been before the courts. She stressed that Allen was taking “full responsibility” for his actions.
The court heard that Allen is in treatment.
A probation report will be compiled prior to the sentencing hearing on November 8.
Judge Brian O’Callaghan remanded Allen on continuing bail until his next court appearance.
There was no application for legal aid in the case.
In a statement last year Rachel Allen and her husband Isaac said they were “devastated” by the arrest of their son.
The couple issued a statement in a bid to “alleviate the frenzy of enquiry and speculation in relation to our son Joshua”.
They said he had admitted his guilt and was co operating with gardai.
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 eighteen to study at the internationally renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School.
She is a TV chef and author and teaches in Ballymaloe. She is the author of four best selling cookery books and has appeared in television series for RTE and the BBC.
The late Myrtle and Ivan Allen opened Ballymaloe, their home, to the public as a restaurant in 1964 and later as a guesthouse.
Ballymaloe House is now internationally known arising out of the work of its founders and amongst others chefs, Darina and Rachel Allen.
