Courier selling cut-price ecstasy has sentence adjourned

A motorcycle courier who was selling cut-price ecstasy at €250 for 100 tablets to raise extra money for his family has had his sentence adjourned by Judge Tony Hunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Detective Garda Damien O’Farrell agreed with defence counsel, Mr James Dwyer BL, that Alan Kiernan (aged 31), was "selling himself short" on the price which he estimated was about seven euro per tablet on the street.

Kiernan, of Beech Hill Villas, Donnybrook, pleaded guilty to possession of 843 ecstasy tablets for sale or supply at his home on July 27, 2007.

Mrs Anne Kiernan said her son was "a good child growing up" and that he knew he had made a "major mistake".

Judge Hunt said that this case highlighted the damage that can be caused by so called "recreational drugs", the effect of which the courts must deal with every day. He adjourned sentencing until early next year to allow a probation report be prepared.

Detective Garda Damien O’Farrell told Ms Anne Rowland BL, prosecuting, that gardai searched the home Kiernan shared with his partner on foot of confidential information and following assistance from the accused found a total of 843 tablets split between a drawer in the bedroom and the carrier box of his motorcycle.

Kiernan told gardaí he had been selling the tablets for about five or six weeks. He said he had recently bought a shipment of 1,000 tablets and kept 100 for himself. He said he had already sold 100 tablets for €250.

Kiernan told gardaí "it was the thoughts of easy money" and having a little extra to spend on his partner and three step children that motivated him. He estimated that he would make about €800 profit on the 1000 tablets.

Det. Garda O’Farrell told Ms Rowland that Kiernan had four previous convictions including one for robbery in 2002 for which he received an 18 month suspended sentence.

Mr Dywer said Kiernan had not been in trouble with the gardaí since this offence and was surrounded by a supportive family.