Heroin dealers and users can expect jail, warns judge
Friday, May 23, 2008
A JUDGE in Cork warned yesterday that people using or dealing heroin could expect to go to jail.
Judge Con O’Leary at Cork District Court noted the escalation of heroin use in the city, a problem that had not existed until recently.
"Up to the last two or three years there was no problem with heroin in Cork but in the last two or three years it has become so.
"In so far as people listen to messages from courts, if you are in possession of heroin you can expect to go to prison, whether it is for Section 3 or Section 15, it is all the same," Judge O’Leary warned.
Section 3 of the Misuse of Drugs Act relates to being in possession of illegal drugs for one’s own use. Section 15 of the same act is the offence of possession of drugs for the purpose of sale or supply to others.
The judge made the comment in the context of the case against Alcidio Ramos, 39, of 41 Willow Bank, Church Road, Blackrock, Cork.
On June 11 last year he was living at Douglas Street, Cork. Gardaí received information and set up surveillance, after which they obtained a search warrant.
They called to the house with the warrant and on searching the house they found €400 worth of heroin concealed in a lampshade.
Ramos was originally charged with possession and possession for sale or supply but the state withdrew the more serious charge and he pleaded guilty to possession.
Solicitor Eddie Burke said the defendant had moved on from heroin since this occurred and was doing very well.
Judge O’Leary adjourned the case for six weeks for the preparation of a probation report.
He then made the warnings about jail sentences for such offences.