Man on cocaine charge relating to Katy’s death

A 24-YEAR-OLD Dubliner has appeared in court on a drugs charge related to events surrounding the death of model Katy French in 2007.

Russell Memery, who comes originally from Finglas but now lives in Co Meath, is charged with conspiring with others to supply cocaine at a Statoil garage at Bracetown, Clonee, Co Meath, on December 1, 2007.

Ms French collapsed at the home of a friend, Kieron “Wolf” Ducie, at Kilmessan, Co Meath in the early hours of December 2.

She died four days later at Our Lady’s Hospital, Navan, after her family decided to switch off a life-support machine after she had suffered a series of heart attacks and fallen into a coma. A postmortem subsequently revealed she had suffered irreversible brain damage.

At a sitting of Navan District Court yesterday, Memery’s solicitor, Miriam Regan, applied for an adjournment in the case after informing the court that the book of evidence had only been served by gardaí yesterday. A representative for the DPP said he had no objection to the application.

Judge Tom Fitzpatrick remanded Memery on continuing bail to appear before the same court on April 1. The accused, who has addresses at both Yellow Clay Manor, Commons Rd, Navan, and Alderbrook Rise, Ashbourne, Co Meath, has had to surrender his passport and must sign on weekly at a Garda station as part of bail conditions.

Memery made no comment during the brief hearing. Afterwards, the accused ran out of the courthouse and jumped into a waiting car in an attempt to escape waiting photographers.

Under Section 15 of the Misuse of Drugs Act, Memery is charged with possession of a controlled drug for unlawful sale or supply. Under the legislation, the offence carries a maximum jail term of 12 months upon conviction and/or a fine of €317 if dealt at District Court level. However, the maximum penalty on indictment at Circuit Court level is a term of imprisonment of 14 years and/or a fine of €3,810.

The case is the first criminal prosecution to be initiated following an extensive investigation into Ms French’s death by gardaí based in Navan.

More than 50 people were questioned as part of the investigation, while four people including Mr Ducie and his then-girlfriend, Ann Corcoran, were arrested during the inquiry.

At the time of her death, the model had become a well-known figure as a result of regular appearances in the Irish media.

She had celebrated her 24th birthday at a lavish party at Dublin nightclub, Krystle, just a week before her tragic death.