A MAN who carried £200,000 worth of heroin for a London based Dublin drugs dealer has been jailed for seven years.
Sean Matthew Brosnan, formerly of Dublin, had two packets of heroin strapped to his waist when he was met by gardai at Dublin Ferryport last March.
Brosnan (43), with an address in Stoke Newington, London, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday to unlawful possession of £200,000 worth of heroin for supply.
Det Garda Raymond Monaghan, of Sundrive Road station, told Mr Tom O'Connell, prosecuting, that one of the packets weighed almost 48g and was 66 per cent pure heroin. The second one contained almost 211g and was 57 per cent pure heroin.
Det Garda Monaghan said Brosnan was acting as a courier for a major, drugs supplier but claimed he did not know this person's identity. He was offered £1,000 to bring in the heroin and was to be met by someone in a Grafton Street fast food shop.
Brosnan had 21 previous convictions in this State and in England, including one drugs supply offence.
Del Garda Monaghan agreed with defence counsel, Ms Isobel Kennedy, that Brosnan indicated from the start he would plead guilty. However, as a courier he was an important cog in the wheel of a major criminal drugs supply organisation.
Ms Kennedy said her client had three children aged 15, 10 and eight years. At the time of the offence he was separated from his common law wife and unemployed. The relationship had now improved.
She said Brosnan was deeply remorseful. He only now realised after a short time in custody the dreadful effect heroin had on young people.
Judge Cyril Kelly said he agreed with Del Garda Monaghan about the important role drugs couriers played in bringing death and destruction to young people. Brosnan carried a huge amount of high quality heroin and as the father of young children he now knew what these drugs did to so many people.