Man who possessed cannabis jailed for seven years

A cocaine-addicted father who was caught with almost €140,000 in cannabis resin has been given a seven-year sentence by Judge Katherine Delahunt at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Peter O’Connell (aged 37) of Decies Road, Ballyfermot, told gardaí: "I think you know what it is," when he was caught holding a bar of cannabis next to his brother’s van that he had been driving.

A search of the van revealed cash to the value of €38,000 and more bars of cannabis resin.

He told gardaí that he had instructions to transport the drugs and he was to get "a couple of hundred euro" for that role. He claimed that he was in debt due to a €200-per-day cocaine habit.

O’Connell pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs, worth €136,708, for sale or supply on the Kylemore Road, in Ballyfermot, on August 13, 2007. His 23 previous convictions included 21 road traffic offences.

Judge Delahunt told O’Connell he was "effectively acting as a shield" between the gardaí and those higher up the ladder "in this henious trade". She said she was nevertheless satisfied that he had turned his life around.

She imposed a seven-year sentence but suspended the final three years on strcit conditions.

Garda Robert Smith told Ms Mary Rose Gearty BL, prosecuting, that gardaí saw O’Connell standing beside the van cutting open a brown package. He immediately took responsibility for the drugs.

Gda Smith agreed with Mr Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha SC, (with Mr Sean Guerin BL), defending, that O’Connell’s wife was in full-time employment and he had primary responsibility for the care of their four children.

Mr Ó Lideadha said that his client who started using cocaine "late in life" and was heavily addicted but is now drug free. He is hoping to get residential treatment to ensure that this will never happen again.

He said O’Connell’s wife and children were devastated by these "turn of events".

Mr O Lideadha said he had to accept that he was in a position of trust in this operation and he was providing "an important function" to these drug dealers.