18 months for man who sold heroin to undercover garda

A Kildare father-of-two who sold heroin to an undercover garda in the city centre has been given a 18-month sentence by Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Karl Mullen (aged 30) approached the garda at a bus stop and asked: "Are you looking?"

He then sold the garda two street deals of heroin for €30 and was arrested nearby by two other gardai who observed the transaction.

Mullen, of Church Road, Celbridge, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with a street value of €300 at Wood Quay on February 6, 2008.

Judge Delahunt told Mullen: "The amount of drugs was small but you were selling drugs and by doing so provide a very important service for people higher up the scale then you."

Judge Delahunt imposed an 18 month sentence and ordered the destruction of the drugs.

Garda Gerard Quinn told Ms Melanie Greally BL, prosecuting, that Mullen, who has 26 previous convictions, took responsibility for the drugs on his arrest and told gardai he was selling heroin to support his own habit.

Defence counsel, Mr Luigi Rea BL, said Mullen had developed a drug habit at an early age and had spent a great deal of time in custody serving sentences which arose from his drug addiction such as robbery and burglary.