Teen dealer 'kept set of accounts in safe'

A 17-year-old drug dealer had €2,000 worth of cocaine stashed in a locked safe in his bedroom along with a set of accounts detailing how much he was earning, the Dublin Children’s Court heard today.

His list of drug debts showed that he was owed €7,000, Judge Ann Ryan heard.

The south Dublin boy, who cannot be identified because he is a juvenile, pleaded guilty to possessing the cocaine for the purposes of sale or supply to another, at his Dun Laoghaire home, on October 26 last.

He also admitted three Public Order Act charges which happened in Sallynoggin in Dublin, on November 1 last. The second incident happened just hours after he had made his first court appearance and was remanded on bail over the drug dealing offence.

Acting on suspicions that the boy was involved in drug dealing, gardaí obtained a search warrant to raid his family’s house.

Garda Liam Lonergan, of Dun Laoghaire station said: “A search warrant was obtained to search his home. A locked safe was found in his bedroom. It was found to contain €2,000 worth of cocaine.”

He also told the judge that a list of names of people he was supplying with totals of how much he was owed was found in the safe. According to the list, the total amount he was owed came to €7,000, the court heard.

The teen was held for questioning during which he took responsibility for the drugs.

The boy was charged in court on November 1 and remanded on bail to allow him time to consider his plea. That night he was arrested over a drink-fuelled disturbance where a group of youths pelted gardai with bottles.

The boy’s solicitor said the teen had never been in trouble before and came from a good family which was very upset. He had left school early but was in full-time employment.

The teenager, he said, was remorseful and aware that he could be facing a sentence.

Judge Ryan said the case was extremely serious and everyone was aware of the dangers of drugs, cocaine in particular. The teenager, who was accompanied to court by his family, was “not only ruining your own life but those of other people”, she said.

She also said that had these had not been his first offences, she would have sent the case forward on indictment to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, which can impose lengthier sentences.

She held that she would retain the case in the jurisdiction of the Children’s Court in light of the fact that he had no previous convictions, pleaded guilty and had strong family support. But she noted the boy had been arrested again the night after he had been given bail by the court.

The teen, who remained silent during his hearing, was remanded on bail to appear again for sentencing in February to allow time for a Probation Service report on him to be obtained.