Sentencing in the case of a 17-year-old boy who pleaded guilty to the sale or supply of a psychoactive drug, which caused the death of another teenager, has been postponed until next February.
Judge Gerard O'Brien said that he was "extremely concerned about the fact that the defendant - who cannot be named as he is a juvenile - felt the sale of the drug did not warrant a prison sentence.
Cork Circuit Court was told that the accused had pleaded guilty to the sale or supply at a location in Cork city of a psychoactive substance - U47700 - to another person knowing or being reckless as to whether that substance was being acquired for human consumption.
The case arose out of the death of 16-year-old Michael Cornacchia, who was found unconscious by his mother in his bedroom at Deermount in Deerpark in Cork last January.
He was pronounced dead at the scene.
A friend of Michael's told gardaí that they had snorted two or three lines of what they believed was cocaine.
They had purchased an eighth of an ounce from the defendant for €200 after making contact with him on Facebook.
The defendant told gardaí he believed what he had sold was cocaine and was not aware of it being anything else.
Analysis showed traces of the drug to be U47700, commonly referred to as U4, which is seven-and-a-half times stronger than morphine.
Judge O'Brien said the defendant "comes before the court as a result of the death of a poor unfortunate child who died as a result of taking this substance".
He said he could not finalise sentencing when the probation report was describing a lack of insight, a high risk of re-offending and where there is a lack of a structured programme for his release.
He adjourned sentencing until next February.
Although granted bail, the defendant will remain in custody on other matters.
