Suspended sentence for former soldier

A former soldier from Swords whose drug dealing plans were foiled by an eagle eyed garda has been given an 18-month suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Jason Dunne (aged 22), a father of one, was planning to sell heroin valued at €1,355 to friends to feed his own habit until it was spotted by Garda Calum Donahue on the floor of the car in which he was traveling.

Dunne, with an address at Seatown Walk, Chapel Lane, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs at Castle Drive on August 9, 2007.

Judge Katherine Delahunt imposed an 18-month sentence which she suspended on strict conditions, including attendance for a drug treatment course at Coolmine drug rehabilitation centre. She ordered the destruction of the drugs.

Gda Donahue told Mr Paul Carroll BL, prosecuting, that he stopped a car, containing Dunne and two others, while on routine patrol and spotted the bag of heroin on the floor.

Dunne admitted full responsibility and said he was selling the drug to friend to feed his own and his girlfriend’s drug habit.

Defence counsel, Mr Cathal McGreal BL, said Dunne, who has one previous conviction, was "literally a slave to heroin" which he had been abusing since he was 14 years old.

He said Dunne had spent two years in the army but had been discharged and attended at a residential drug treatment centre. He said Dunne left that centre after he developed difficulties with his teeth and was not allowed to take painkillers.