Man ‘threatened’ over lost drugs

A CLARE man who was caught with €35,000 worth of cannabis in Cork claimed that his life was under threat from a Limerick gang and he was even being held in a special protection wing at Cork prison.

Emmet Curley, aged 39, who had been living at Rockgrove Terrace, Lower Glanmire Road, Cork, was back before Cork Circuit Criminal Court yesterday and Judge Seán O Donnabháin sentenced him to seven years in prison with the last two suspended. Tom Creed, SC, said Curley’s wife was receiving Garda protection in Co Clare because of threats made to the accused and his family. Texts received by Curley were read out in court, including the following: “If it’s a thing that you f**ked up, we will get you or we will get your family.”

Another read: “You’ll pay for what you done.” While another said: “Emmet, don’t f**k around with that, you know who owns it.”

Mr Creed explained Curley’s account of how he ended up getting such threats: “He was given drugs to mind for persons in gangland Limerick, he lost those drugs and he was in debt to those people.” Gardaí caught Curley with 3kg of cannabis resin at New Mallow Road, Cork, on December 3, 2009, the court heard. Judge O Donnabháin said the man had a high risk of re-offending.