Two years for addict who sold drugs to undercover gardaí

A cocaine addict who sold the drug to undercover gardaí in the city centre has been given a two years sentence by Judge Frank O’Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Costica Dura (23) told gardaí after he was arrested that he paid €45 to his "boss" out of every €60 deal and used his €15 profit to fund his own cocaine addiction habit.

He claimed he was jobless to allow him care for his pregnant girlfriend and had been told by Judge O’Donnell he should get a job if he wanted to stay out of prison.

"Looking after his pregnant girlfriend is the most hollow excuse I have ever heard," Judge O’Donnell said.

Dura, with addresses at Huntstown Avenue, Mulhuddard and Westbourne Avenue, Clondalkin pleaded guilty to having cocaine for sale or supply at Grafton Street on April 5 and on Lower Drumcondra Road on April 12, 2006.

When undercover gardaí, whose movements were being monitored by other gardai, met Dura in the Moore Street area on April 5, 2006, he asked them: "Are you looking for stuff?"

The gardaí said they were and Dura, using the name "Robert", instructed them to follow him while he made a phone call. They reached Grafton Street and another man handed a packet to Dura who passed it to the gardai for €60. The packet contained cocaine.

A week later, a member of the garda anti-drugs unit telephoned Dura, alias "Robert", in a call audibly monitored by colleagues, claiming he was "just looking for one rock" which Judge O’Donnell was told was street jargon for "crack cocaine".

Dura arranged a meeting in the Parnell Street area later. Two members of the unit, whose movements were again monitored by colleagues, met him as arranged and he instructed them to follow him to Lr Drumcondra Road where a man called "Snowy" provided "the rock".

Judge O’Donnell suspended the final six months of the sentence on strict conditions.