Man who stored €5m heroin haul jailed for 10 years

A man who stored €5m worth of heroin in the home he shared with his then girlfriend has been given a 10-year sentence by Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

William Byrne (aged 24) with an address at Colbertsfort, Belgard Road, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for sale or supply at their rented home on January 12, 2007. He had three previous convictions which included a 12-month suspended sentence for drug dealing.

His now ex-girlfriend, Melissa O'Shea (aged 22), pleaded guilty to knowingly allowing the possession of the drugs in the house on the same date. She had no previous convictions and was not known to the gardaí.

O’Shea was remanded in custody in January when evidence was heard in the case and is due to be sentenced next month.

The couple have two children together, one of whom was 18 months old at the time. O'Shea has since finished the relationship and has returned to her family home.

Detective Garda Michael Ormonde told Mr Remy Farrell BL, prosecuting, that gardaí accepted that O'Shea only knew about one kilo of heroin found in the sitting room and was not aware of the remaining 24 kilos found in a sports bag and suitcase in the kitchen.

Byrne took full responsibility for the drugs and told gardaí that he had been storing them in his home for €500.

A co-accused Thomas Kennedy (aged 30) with an address at Westbourne Park, Clondalkin, received a 10-year sentence in March 2008 from Judge Desmond Hogan after he pleaded guilty to the possession of heroin for sale or supply.

Gardaí found keys for padlocks on both the suitcase and the sports bag sitting next to Kennedy. He initially denied any knowledge of the drugs but it was later accepted that he brought the drugs to the house.

Det Gda Ormonde agreed with Ms Aileen Donnelly SC (with Mr William Nolan BL) defending Bryne, that there was "paraphernalia of active drug use" in the sitting room when gardaí arrived and there was generally poor living conditions in their home.

He accepted that Byrne took full responsibility immediately and made admissions to gardaí.

Det Gda Ormonde agreed with Mr Patrick Marrinan SC (with Mr Pieter Le Vert BL) defending O'Shea, that she strongly objected to Kennedy being in their home and was greatly concerned about heroin being smoked around her baby daughter.

He accepted that she was not familiar with the drug industry in any way and that she could be described as naive.

Det Gda Ormonde further accepted that O'Shea was strongly motivated by loyalty for her partner and was not aware of the extent of Byrne's involvement.

Ms Donnelly asked Judge Delahunt to accept that her client's role was at the lower end of the scale in terms of the drug industry.

She said he had a heavy drug addiction at the time which predated the incident and was "really the driving force and significant cause of his involvement in this offence".

Mr Marrinan said his client was from a very good and decent family in the Tallaght area. She became pregnant at 18 years old and then moved in with Byrne to the house where the drugs were found.

Judge Delahunt noted that Byrne had mental health issues and that his principal role had been in storing the drugs but said he had done it for financial reward and he served as an obstacle between the gardaí and the people for whom he was working.

Judge Delahunt imposed the presumptive minimum ten year sentence applicable to this offence and set a review date five years into the sentence.