Pair jailed for six years in €210,000 cocaine case

A widowed mother and a cocaine addict have been jailed for six years by Judge Martin Nolan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for their roles in the sale or supply of cocaine valued some €210,000.

Audrey Brodigan (aged 44) a mother of two teenage sons, and James Robinson (aged 29), a father of two, were caught with the drugs in the course of a garda surveillance operation mounted on foot of confidential information.

Brodigan of Finglas Place, Ballygall pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine valued €140,000 at her home on March 31, 2006 and Robinson, of St Mary's Mansions, Killarney Street, near the city centre, admitted possession of cocaine valued €70,000 at Fitzmaurice Road, Finglas on the same date.

Judge Nolan noted they had "profited little" and imposed a sentence of six years imprisonment on each.

Detective Garda Maurice Ward told prosecuting counsel, Mr Garnet Orange BL, that gardaí involved in the surveillance operation observed Brodigan leave her home and deliver a brown package to a nearby address.

Robinson was observed leaving this house with the package and followed to Fitzmaurice Road where he was stopped by gardaí and the package containing one kilogram of cocaine valued at €70,000 was recovered.

Robinson admitted possession of the cocaine and told gardaí he was addicted to the drug.

Det Gda Ward said gardaí then entered Brodigan’s home and asked her if there were drugs on the premises.

Brodigan directed them to an upstairs bedroom where two kilograms of cocaine valued at €140,000 was found.

Det Gda Ward said Robinson was "well known to gardaí" with 14 previous convictions, while Brodigan had no previous convictions and had not come to garda attention before this.

Ms Isobel Kennedy SC, defending Brodigan, said she was in "dire straits" financially at the time and was to be paid a small amount for holding the drugs.

Ms Kennedy said Brodigan was the mother of two teenage children and had lost her job because she had to care for her terminally ill partner, who died in June 2006. She had a good work history including a period of work with a voluntary organisation.

Ms Kennedy said Brodigan was being medicated for stress, panic attacks and depression. She had co-operated with gardaí as regards her own role and garda evidence had been that "she was not a player".

Mr Michael O’Higgins SC, defending Robinson, said he had immediately told gardaí it was cocaine he had because of his habit and his admissions were of material assistance to gardaí. Counsel said there was no evidence to link him with the larger quantity of drugs in Brodigan’s home.

Mr O’Higgins said Robinson was a father-of-two who had worked in the past as a bar man but had developed an alcohol problem before progressing onto cocaine and sleeping tablets.