Seven years for 'rampant addict' for possession of drugs

A Westmeath "rampant addict" who collected a van loaded with heroin valued at €1.6 m because of his €25,000 "drugs debt" has had been jailed for seven years by Judge Katherine Delahunt.

Gerard Matthews (aged 30), of Grange Village, Mullingar told gardaí he was told €1,000 would be taken off his "drugs debt" and that he "could not walk away from the situation" when he received a call ordering him to collect the vehicle from a McDonald's carpark in Ballyfermot.