Dealer has sentence hanging over him

A heroin dealer who was warned not to think that a district judge was bluffing was ordered to do 220 hours of community service yesterday and a six-month sentence was left hanging over him.

Judge Olann Kelleher told Andrew Hurley he could do that community service work instead of spending five months in prison. Furthermore he imposed a jail sentence of six months which he suspended.

The sentence was suspended on the basis that Hurley was on a waiting list for a rehabilitation programme. The matter will be back in court in September to verify that he has taken up the place on the programme.

Andrew Hurley, of 88 Clonmacnoise Road, Crumlin, Dublin, was caught dealing heroin on Grand Parade, Cork, on January 7, 2015.

Hurley was charged with having heroin and having it for sale or supply on January 7.

The detection was part of Operation Emerson. The distinguishing feature of the operation is that the crimes were detected by officers from the Garda National Drugs Unit based in Dublin who made controlled purchases of the drug.

Judge Kelleher said earlier in the week at Cork District Court, “I gave him a month to get his house in order. My note is quite clear. He was getting an opportunity to get treatment for his addiction. This is a crime against society, against the people of Cork. I will send you to jail. Did you think I was bluffing the last time? You stayed out of prison on the basis that you would do certain things and you didn’t do them.

“You were selling drugs in Cork. If you don’t want to do treatment I will deal with it.”

William Bulman, defending, verified yesterday Hurley was on a waiting list for a drug treatment programme.