Sentencing adjourned in €1m cannabis case

A Cavan cocaine addict who was found in possession of cannabis valued at over €1 million will be sentenced later by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

A Cavan cocaine addict who was found in possession of cannabis valued at more than €1m will be sentenced later by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

George Keogh (aged 28), with an address at Corrakeeran, Lisboduff, Cootehill owed up to €40,000 to lending agencies and drug dealers.

He pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for sale or supply at Clontarf Bay Apartments, Clontarff, on January 12, 2007.

Sergeant Brendan O’Grady told prosecuting counsel, Mr Garret baker BL, that gardaí acting on confidential information discovered 160 kilos of cannabis in his bedroom and kitchen at the Clontarf flat.

Sgt O’Grady said the value of the cannabis was €1,088,500 and Keogh revealed he planned to sell it for €1,200 per kilo but would not tell gardaí where the drugs had come from.

He said had been a cocaine addict for up to five years. He had been working as a van driver for several years and had a number of previous convictions for road traffic offences.

Mr Paul Burns SC, defending, said Keogh had been roped into a scheme to sell drugs for his dealers in order to pay off a debt they knew he could not otherwise pay off.

Mr Burns said Keogh was "extremely remorseful" and realised the "utter stupidity" of his situation. He said Keogh’s arrest had rescued him from a "vicious cycle" and that he had since begun to turn his life around.

Judge Frank O’Donnell said he wanted time to consider sentence and adjourned it to a date later this month.

Keogh’s brother, Thomas (aged 36), also of Corrakeeran, Lisboduff, Cootehill is due for sentence in November by Judge Patricia Ryan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after he pleaded guilty in July to possession of the same cache of cannabis which was being held in the apartment they shared.

Detective Garda Reginald Brady told prosecuting counsel, Mr Garret Baker BL, in July that Thomas Keogh was ordered by his brother, to "mind your own business" when he asked George about the drugs cache.

Det Gda Brady agreed with defence counsel, Mr Shane Costello BL, that Thomas Keogh was "a very non-confrontational person" and that his brother was the person mainly involved in the drugs cache.

Det Gda Brady also agreed that Thomas Keogh had no previous convictions and he said he would not ever expect to see him before the courts again.

Mr Costello submitted that Thomas Keogh was "a simple man who is just not confrontational" and he appealed to Judge Ryan not to impose a custodial sentence but to consider community service.

He also noted the evidence given by Det Gda Brady and testimonials submitted on his client's behalf.

"He is deeply apologetic and very embarrassed by this matter and will never ever come before the courts again," Mr Costello said.

Judge Ryan remanded Thomas Keogh on continuing bail and directed the preparation of a Probation Service's report for his sentence hearing.