Heroin dealer was trying to make cash for Christmas

A Corkman travelled to Dublin to buy a stash of heroin to sell in Cork “to make a few pound for Christmas”.

Owen Murphy, aged 29, yesterday confessed to having heroin for sale or supply at an apartment in Cork.

Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said of Murphy: “He was selling it for profit. He went to Dublin and got the drugs to sell in Cork. He said he had done so previously but he is not before the court for that.”

He was sentenced to three years in jail, with the last two suspended, on the single count of having the heroin at his apartment at 69 Summerhill North, Cork, on December 7, 2015, for sale or supply.

Questioned afterwards by Detective Garda John Sheedy, Murphy said he was selling the heroin “to make a few pound for Christmas”.

Det Garda Sheedy said the accused man told him during interview that he had addictions but would not touch heroin.

Brendan Kelly, defending, said the accused man’s addictions did include an addiction to heroin, irrespective of what was said in the garda interview. Mr Kelly said the accused had even gone for treatment for heroin addiction.

Det Garda Sheedy said gardaí obtained a warrant to search the defendant’s home on the day in question. They found three youths on the premises at the time and a quantity of heroin with a street value of €1,600.

Judge Ó Donnabháin said: “The evidence I have is that this man was doing this for profit. That cannot be tolerated. Significantly, he has no previous conviction for drugs offences.”

The one-year sentence was backdated to November 2, when the accused pleaded guilty to the crime.