A MAN WHO was caught with almost €140,000 of cannabis resin has been given a seven-year sentence by Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Peter O’Connell (37), of Decies Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, told gardaí, “I think you know what it is” when he was caught holding a bar of cannabis next to his brother’s van.
A search of the van revealed cash to the value of €38,000 and more bars of cannabis resin.
O’Connell told gardaí he had instructions to transport the drugs, and he was to get a couple of hundred euro for that role.
He claimed that he was in debt due to a €200-per-day cocaine habit.
O’Connell pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs, worth €136,708, for sale or supply on the Kylemore Road, Ballyfermot, on August 13th, 2007.
His 23 previous convictions included 21 traffic offences.
Judge Delahunt told O’Connell he was “effectively acting as a shield” between gardaí and those higher up the ladder “in this heinous trade”.
She was nevertheless satisfied that he had turned his life around.
She imposed a seven-year sentence, but suspended the final three years on strict conditions.
Garda Robert Smith told Mary Rose Gearty, prosecuting, that gardaí saw O’Connell standing beside the van cutting open a brown package. He immediately took responsibility for the drugs.
Garda Smith agreed with Giollaiosa Ó Lideadha SC, defending, that O’Connell’s wife was in full-time employment, and he had primary responsibility for the care of their four children.
Mr Ó Lideadha said his client started using cocaine “late in life” and was heavily addicted but was now drug free. He was hoping to get residential treatment to ensure that this would never happen again.
He said O’Connell’s wife and children were devastated by these “turn of events”.
Mr Ó Lideadha said O’Connell had to accept that he was in a position of trust in this operation and he was providing “an important function” to these drug dealers.