Teenager given suspended sentence for heroin possession

A teenager has been given a suspended three-year sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for keeping almost €20,000 worth of heroin in the attic of his bedroom.

Gary Roe (aged 19), of Moatview Court, Priorswood pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply on October 14, 2007 at his home.

Sergeant Anthony McNulty told Mr Vincent Heneghan BL, prosecuting, that gardai were tipped off that heroin was being stored in the house. His mother answered the door and told them where her eldest son’s bedroom was. The accused was also home with his 12-year-old and seven-year-old brothers.

Gardai found access to the attic from the then 18-year-old’s bedroom and it was there they found the bags of heroin, valued at €19,260. Roe said he was being paid €100 to hold them for someone else for a few days but didn’t give the person’s name.

Sgt McNulty said Roe had one previous conviction for a public order offence and had not been arrested since the seizure of the heroin. However, he told Mr Paul Greene BL, defending, that Roe had since been a passenger in a car in which cannabis was found.

Mr Greene said his client left school after his Junior Cert and had been a good citizen for most his life. He handed in a positive reference from his employer at a garden centre. His mother was in court and prepared to supervise him and he did not cause her any difficulties.

He noted that the probation services said he had a moderate risk of re-offending due to his continuous use of cannabis. Judge Tony Hunt said that would have to stop.

"Whatever he thinks about it, it’s a criminal offence," he said.

Judge Hunt said he knew he was "down the food chain" of drug dealing but pointed out that storing such a drug was a serious offence. He said he now had an extremely serious conviction, which would not make travelling, emigrating or changing employer easy.

"He was very foolish. For a modest reward, he put himself at very serious risk of spending a long time in prison as a young man," he said.

However he said that jail was a traumatic and life-changing experience and noted that Roe had the support of his family and employer. He suspended the entire three-year sentence for five years.

"If I sent him into custody, I’d change his young life for the worse," he said, telling him to give up cannabis. "I’ve no doubt he’ll end up serving a significant time in custody if he doesn’t."