Man who was 'back-up' for €200,000 heroin collection to be sentenced later

A Finglas man who agreed to act as "back-up" in the collection of a €200,000 consignment of heroin in return for receiving a €120 Lifestyle tracksuit has been remanded in custody pending sentence.

Christopher Murphy (aged 27) was a back seat passenger in a car driven by Alan McNally (aged 32) which was observed in a garda surveillance operation collecting the drugs from Greg McCauley (aged 33) in March 2006.

McNally, of Cappagh Avenue, Finglas, was given a seven-and-a-half-year sentence in June. McCauley, of Ballybough House, Ballybough, was given a 10-year sentence in February.

Murphy, of Plunkett Drive, Finglas, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the drugs for sale or supply on March 3, 2006. A third person who was in the passenger seat of the car is awaiting trial.

Judge Katherine Delahunt remanded Murphy in custody until early next year to allow him continue his efforts at drug rehabilitation before she passes sentence.

Detective Sergeant Gregory Sheehan told prosecuting counsel, Mr Shane Costelloe BL, that as a result of confidential information a surveillance operation was set up outside McCauley's then home on Edenmore Drive,

McCauley was observed approach a car driven by McNally with a bag, have a conversation with a female in the passenger seat and then walk away from the car without the bag. Murphy was in the back seat of the car.

McNally was stopped by gardai after he drove off and heroin with a approximate street value of €190,000 was found in the foot-well behind the passenger seat. The three occupants of the car were arrested.

McCauley was arrested one month later after a further period of surveillance and charged with the offence.

Murphy, who has two previous convictions, told gardaí he had gone along on the collection as "a bit of back-up" and was to receive a €120 Lifestyle tracksuit in return. The tracksuit was found in the boot of the car.

Det. Garda Sheehan agreed with defence counsel, Ms Isobel Kennedy SC (with Mr Ronan Kennedy BL), that Murphy was "not the brightest spark" and had a serious drug addiction that he had been seeking to address.

Ms Kennedy said Murphy had a difficult background and a family history of alcohol abuse. She said he began abusing alcohol at 15 and escalated into using cocaine, ecstasy and heroin following a family bereavement.

She said he had been attending at a drug clinic and had expressed "sorrow and remorse" for the offence.