Cork man gets 15 years for possessing drugs

One of the most prominent figures in the drugs trade in Cork city was caught red-handed with €500,000 worth of cannabis and today he was given a 15-year jail sentence.

Dean Coughlan, 28, of 24 Ballinderry Park, Mayfield, cried as Judge Moran imposed a ten-year sentence followed by a five-year consecutive sentence at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

Detective Inspector Tom Myers said afterwards: "I welcome the sentence. It sends out a very clear signal from the court, not for the first time, that people caught with large quantities of drugs can expect to receive lengthy prison sentences."

Detective Garda John Lynch nabbed Coughlan as he came out of a house at Boyces Street, Cork, on March 27 2003.

He searched him under the Misuse of Drugs Act and found five bars of cannabis resin in a plastic bag being carried by Coughlan.

Det. Garda Lynch immediately went about getting a search warrant to search the house at Boyces Street and went there with senior members of the drug squad to conduct a search.

Coughlan was with them and he directed the officers to the bathroom where there was a black holdall bag containing 35 more bars of resin.

The total street value of the drugs was €500,000.

Coughlan’s troubles were compounded by the fact that he was caught dealing drugs again six weeks later when he was out on bail for the main offence.

Det. Garda Oisin Cotter chased Coughlan at Banduff near Mayfield on May 8 last year and caught him with €9,000 worth of cannabis.

Judge Moran praised his police work in catching Coughlan.

Coughlan claimed he was to make €2,000 to €3,000 from transporting the larger drugs cache

The defence claimed that Coughlan had a drug addiction but Det. Insp. Myers rejected that suggestion and said the defendant used drugs by choice.