Drug-dealing couple released to spend Christmas with children

A drug-dealing couple have been released from custody to spend Christmas with their three children.

David Plummer (aged 32), of Barry Avenue, and Lisa Heary (aged 30), of Jamestown Road, both Finglas, admitted at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court having heroin for sale or supply on April 25, 2006 at Gardiner Street. They had been remanded in custody on November 4 by Judge Frank O'Donnell.

Heary, who spent her 30th birthday in jail last week, apologised to Judge O'Donnell yesterday, saying that not a day went by that she didn't think about what she'd done.

"We moved to Lucan and live there with our children and we don't get into trouble anymore," she said. A letter she wrote to the judge was handed in, along with one written by her daughter. "This is my problem, not David's," she added.

She said her two daughters were living with her mother and her son was with her aunt. He couldn't start school in September because they didn't know where they were going to be, she said.

"If we don't get out of prison, our house is gone on Monday and we'll have to start all over again," she said. "My kids are suffering terribly for what I've done. They're waiting for Santa. They're very upset."

Judge O'Donnell said her children were his exact concern and he had previously wondered if they would be better cared for by someone else.

"On the last occasion when I incarcerated them, someone mentioned the rights of the parents. My concern is the rights of the children," he said.

Heary agreed there had been an incident of obstruction since their crime when gardai tried to search her partner's car, but said they hadn't identified themselves as members of the force. She also said that she was on medication for leg ulcers and that would explain any codeine in her system.

Judge O'Donnell released them both on bail for preparation of up-to-date probation reports.

"If ever there's a clear case of drugs causing the problems, this is it," he said.