Mother ‘pressured’ to hold cocaine stash over dead partner’s drug debt

A woman who was caught with a portable safe filled with cocaine in her home was pressured into minding it after her partner died, leaving a €5,000 drug debt, a court has heard.

Elizabeth Grey was told shortly after the death of the father of her four young children that she was responsible for paying off the debt, defence counsel told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

She agreed to hold a safe in her home, which was found to contain cocaine valued at just under €20,000, Garda Seán Scully told prosecuting counsel Fergal Foley BL.

When her home was raided by gardaí last year, Grey (34) admitted that while she did not know exactly what was inside, she “wasn’t stupid” and had a good idea about the contents.

She pleaded guilty to one count of possessing cocaine for sale or supply at her home in Pearse House, Hanover Street East, Dublin on August 20th, 2020.

‘Very particular circumstances’

Judge Melanie Greally accepted that Grey had been put under pressure to mind the safe in order to pay off her late partner’s drug debt.

“The court is of the view that in the very particular circumstances in which Ms Grey found herself when she committed this offence, coupled with the fact she is the sole surviving parent to four young children, a custodial sentence would not be appropriate in this case,” she said.

Judge Greally gave Grey a 2½ year sentence, which she suspended in full on a number of conditions.

Patrick McGrath SC, defending, said Grey was traumatised by the bereavement of her long-term partner at the time. She was left as the sole carer for their children, who range in age from two to eight, the court heard.

Her late partner had drug addiction issues and Grey uses cannabis, Mr McGrath said. She has been in touch with a support group about trying to overcome her addiction. She has not come to the attention of gardaí­ since and has recently started working part-time, the court heard.