A Dublin man who had £100,000 worth of heroin in his trousers after being taken to a Garda station on suspicion of theft has been jailed for six years.
Edward Murray (25), of St Ronan's Park, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to having heroin for supply, criminal damage, assault, resisting arrest, burglary and handling stolen goods.
Mr Erwin Mill-Arden SC, defending, said his client had been chosen to teach other inmates on an anti-violence programme while on remand in prison. Judge Elizabeth Dunne set a sentence review date for July 19th, 2001.
His co-accused, Jonathan O'Reilly (19), of St Mark's Crescent, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty to assault and was given an 18-month suspended sentence.
Sgt John Rice said Murray stole a jeep in Greystones on December 19th, 1996. During a subsequent chase, a Garda car was written off. Murray later crashed, writing off the £18,000 jeep and a Mercedes. Gardai found £5,000 worth of stolen machinery in the jeep.
Garda Patrick Lavelle said Murray and O'Reilly threatened to break the other leg of a man on crutches during a christening party in a Clondalkin pub on November 25th, 1996. A man who tried to intervene was kicked and punched on the ground. One of a group of four including Murray and O'Reilly dropped a granite slab on his face.
Another man who tried to intervene suffered a fractured jaw and cheek bone. i later arrested the four they were "covered in blood". Murray when arrested was extremely violent and broke Garda Ray Daly's finger.