Honours schoolboy caught dealing crack cocaine avoids jail

An honours schoolboy, who dropped out of education and got into crack cocaine dealing after he developed a cannabis addiction problem, has been sentenced to nine months’ probation.

The 17-year-old pleaded guilty to possessing crack cocaine worth €500 for the purpose of sale or supply, at the South Circular Road, in Dublin, on a date in February last year.

However, Judge John O’Connor noted yesterday that the teenager had turned his life around and had also done work to help other troubled young people.