Four years for courier turned heroin dealer

A motorcycle courier who became a heroin addict after an accident when aged 36 and then turned dealer to feed his habit has been given a four year sentence for possession of the drug.

Mark Powderly was making €1,000 a week and kept one third of all the heroin he handled for himself, Judge Frank O’Donnell noted from a report before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

"You were a dealer and not just a courier," Judge O’Donnell told him and also ordered the forfeiture of €14,100 cash found in Powderly’s home.

Powderly (aged 42), of Harty Place Lower, Clanbrassil Street, Dublin 8 pleaded guilty to possession of heroin valued at €12,900 for sale or supply and possession of €42 of cannabis resin at his home on April 20, 2005.

Judge O’Donnell suspended the final two years of the sentence for seven years on condition that Powderly remain out of trouble for that time and also remained under probation supervision for one year, including attendance at a treatment centre if directed.

He noted that Powderly was given access to Coolmine Therapeutic Centre previously but didn’t attend and added that while he was now detoxed in custody and making good progress, the Probation Service considered him to at "a moderate risk of reoffending"

Detective Garda Brian Sourke told Mr Remy Farrell BL, prosecuting, that gardaí acting on confidential information found the drugs, cash and associated paraphernalia at Powderly’s home.

He said Powderly, who has no previous convictions, accepted responsibility for the drugs and fully cooperated with gardaí.

Det Gda Sourke agreed with Mr Pieter Le Vert BL, defending, that Powderly was selling the drugs to finance his own habit and had been using profits to pay his rent.

He also agreed that Powderly had become unemployed after a motorcycle accident as a courier and it was at that stage, aged 36, that he began abusing heroin.

Mr Le Vert said Powderly had been diagnosed with suspected tuberculosis following an x-ray after his accident and was now drug-free after attending treatment.

He hoped to get back into work in the future when he recovered from his illness and this case had been "a salutary lesson" for him.