'Soft-touch' dealer given suspended sentence for holding drugs for criminal

A "soft-touch" drug dealer who was holding cocaine and ecstasy for a criminal because he feared he would be shot has been given a three-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Alan Connor (aged 23), an apprentice plasterer with 16 previous convictions, was found to have cannabis resin, cocaine and 797 ecstasy tablets which had a combined street value of €12,210 stored in his home.

Connor, of Quarry Road, Cabra, pleaded guiltily to possession of the drugs on February 2, 2007.

Judge Katherine Delahunt said considering Connor’s previous convictions he had been "setting yourself up for a criminal future" but she noted that he has since made significant changes.

She said she had taken into account the very fair evidence of Garda Anton Keating and a favourable probation report before she suspended the sentence on condition that he engage with the probation service and attend for ongoing drug treatment.

Judge Delahunt adjourned the case to July to see if Connor was suitable for community service "to repay to society the damage you had done".

Gda Keating told Mr Sean Guerin BL, prosecuting, that when searching the house on foot of confidential information they found cannabis resin, cocaine and ecstasy tablets inside a wardrobe.

Connor told gardai that he had been selling cannabis resin since the previous summer and was in fear of being shot if he named the person who gave him the cocaine and ecstasy tablets to hold.

Gda Keating agreed with defence counsel, Mr Shane Costelloe BL, that Connor was seen in the local community as a "soft touch", was subject to mockery and lacked the maturity to say no to people.