Woman avoids jail after bringing drugs into prison

A YOUNG woman who brought over €400 of drugs into Cork Prison when she attended to visit a prisoner was ordered to do 150 hours of community service to avoid going to jail herself.

Amy Goggin, in her 20s, of 55 Glendower Court, Ballincollig, Co Cork, had the case against her listed for trial at Cork District Court yesterday.

However, she pleaded guilty to the charges of being in possession of Diamorphine, better known as heroin, for her own use and a separate charge of conveying the drug to the prison at Rathmore Road or to a person in the prison.

Judge Leo Malone said: “It is not alleged that she had it for supply?”

Inspector Bill Duane said, “The state cannot prove that but it is not necessary for the state to prove it.”

Frank Buttimer, defence solicitor, agreed with that proposition and said the charge of conveying a drug to prison or to a prisoner was one of strict liability.

Insp Goggin said that on October 8, 2009, Amy Goggin was visiting a prisoner. She was stopped by a prison officer who alerted the gardaí. Goggin was searched and found to be carrying heroin with a street value of €474.