A woman whose son died of a drug overdose has lost her appeal against the severity of a 10-year sentence imposed on her for having €300,000 worth of cannabis and cocaine in her home for sale and supply.
The three-judge Court of Criminal Appeal said yesterday it could find no error with the sentence handed down to Maria Norris (44), Elm Park, Clonmel, Co Tipperary over the drugs found in a bedroom of her home in June 2005.
Norris was jailed by Judge Alice Doyle after being found guilty by a jury at Clonmel Circuit Criminal Court of five drugs offences, including having cocaine and cannabis with intent to supply.
Norris had denied the charges, and appealed against both conviction and severity of sentence. Her appeal against conviction was previously rejected. Lawyers for Norris argued the sentence was excessive and the judge had not properly taken mitigating factors into account.