Two-year sentences for three people in ‘N bomb’ drug case

Three people have been handed two-year sentences each following a garda investigation into the death of a teenager who took a designer hallucinogenic drug at a party in Cork.

Judge Gerard O’Brien sentenced Harry Clifton (29) to two years in jail, but suspended the final 18 months, while he sentenced Ruairi Maher (22) and Jessica O’Connor (20) to two years in jail each, but suspended both sentences in their entirety.

All three pleaded guilty to a series of drug offences.

The three were charged following a garda investigation into the death of 18-year-old Alex Ryan from Millstreet, Co Cork.

Mr Ryan died at Cork University Hospital five days after taking a designer drug at a house party in Greemount in Co Cork on January 18th.

Judge O’Brien had heard that Mr Ryan and O’Connor had been among a group of 60 young people at a party at Oliver Plunkett Street, where alcohol, speed and ecstasy were consumed on January 15th and the party continued for some over the weekend until January 18th.

Eight people were at the house party in Greenmount and six of these, including Mr Ryan and O’Connor, ended up at CUH after ingesting N bomb. Five recovered, however, Mr Ryan lost his fight for life five days later.

“What is alarming is the level of disrespect that young people have for themselves and their own safety by taking drugs that are illicit and manufactured by criminals. They think it’s okay because they are having a good time,” said Judge O Brien.

Clifton had earlier pleaded guilty to four charges arising out of the garda investigation into Mr Ryan’s death, including possessing N Bomb and possessing MDMA or ecstasy for sale or supply, and simple possession of DMT and cannabis, at his flat at Proby’s Quay in Cork on January 19th.

Maher of Ballycurrane, Thurles, Co Tipperary, pleaded guilty to conspiring with another to possess N-bomb for the purpose of sale or supply in Cork city on January 19th, while O’Connor from Ballyhar, Killarney, Cork pleaded guilty to possessing N bomb for supply, also in Cork city, on January 18th.

Det Garda Danny McEnery told Cork Circuit Criminal Court that gardaí began an investigation after six people were taken to CUH after ingesting a drug at a house party and they checked phone records which led them to Clifton.

Gardaí searched his house and found a half a gramme of N bomb which Clifton told them was part of a batch of the drug which he thought was a less potent synthentic drug called 2CB. They also found 5.5gm of MDMA worth €550.

Gardaí established that Clifton had sold 12 trips of N bomb to Maher on January 18th for €80 when he called to the flat with O’Connor and Mr Ryan, and that Maher had sold 12 trips on to others in the group for a total sum of €120 making a €40 profit for himself.

Maher had linked up with O’Connor on Tinder and in the course of attending the party on Oliver Plunkett Street on January 15th, he had offered to try and source some drugs from Clifton, who told him when handing over the drugs that no one should consume more than one trip of the drug.

Clifton had five previous convictions, including one for cultivation of opium poppies, while Maher had 11 previous convictions, including one for simple possession of drugs. ’Connor, who was studying architecture in UCC at the time, had no previous convictions.

Judge O’Brien heard that all three were deeply remorseful for what had happened and never expected the drugs to have the fatal consequences that they had even though Det McEnery told the court that N bomb was known to have been fatal in several cases worldwide.