Seven years for Laois dealer

A convicted Laois drug dealer who threw a cache of heroin under a garda car after he was stopped for a search has been jailed for seven years by Judge Michael White at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

John Dunne (aged 28), of Colliers Lane, Kilminchey, Portlaoise pleaded guilty to having possession of heroin worth €10,984 for sale or supply at Kylemore Road, Ballyfermot on March 21, 2005.

Dunne had 39 previous convictions, including six for drugs offences for which he was currently serving concurrent prison terms of 18 months and five and seven years from Portlaoise Circuit Criminal Court. The new seven years will run concurrent.

Garda Martin McCarron told Mr Paul Carroll BL, prosecuting, that Dunne was acting suspiciously on the Kylemore Road when he pulled his unmarked patrol car over to stop him and search him.

He gave his correct name and address but gardai then noticed that he had thrown a bag under their car. A further search of his person revealed two more deals of heroin, a weighing scales and a roll of plastic bags.

Dunne, who uses between 15 and 20 bags of heroin a day, later admitted that he had just bought the drugs and was intending to return to Portlaoise to sell them there. He said he would sell half to reimburse the person he bought the drugs from and use the rest himself.

Gda McCarron agreed with Mr Michael Bowman BL, defending, that Dunne was "a chronic heroin addict" whose "chronic offending is intrinsically linked to his addiction".

Mr Bowman said although Dunne was using between 15 and 20 bags of heroin a day he had managed in the past to detox himself.

He said he was using his time in prison constructively and handed in a number of documents outlining the courses Dunne has undertaken there.