Jail sentence for man in €1.3m cannabis case

A “vulnerable” Dublin man who was been described as leading a “sheltered life” with his parents has been sentenced to seven years in prison with the last two suspended for possessing €1.3m of cannabis in a disused warehouse.

Darryl O’Connor (aged 41) of Whitethorn Close, Artane, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing nearly 200 kilograms of cannabis herb and resin for sale or supply at a Swords warehouse unit on February 24, 2007.

Judge Frank O’Donnell said O’Connor, who acted as a drugs storer may have been considered a ‘soft touch’ in the criminal world and that more and more vulnerable people are being targeted by tycoons in the industry, who might not otherwise be involved in the crime.

O’Connor initially claimed he had been at the warehouse for his shoe importing business but eventually pleaded guilty to possessing the drugs before his trial date in 2009.

Defence counsel, Mr Padraig O’Dwyer SC, submitted that his client was a “vulnerable” man with anxiety issues and suicidal thoughts and had been admitted for psychiatric treatment 10 days before his trial date was set.

Detective Sergeant John Baxter of the Garda National Drugs Unit told Mr Colm O’Briain BL, prosecuting, that his colleagues in the drugs squad went to McCluskey’s Yard in Swords on confidential information, spotted O’Connor driving into the unit and caught him moments later in a warehouse holding a black refuse sack.

Det Sgt Baxter said gardaí found 188kg of cannabis resin slabs in warehouse cardboard boxes and a further 10kg of cannabis herb in the boot of O’Connor’s car worth in total €1.3m.

O’Connor had no previous convictions, had never been involved in crime and had no job, though there were records of him trying to establish a shoe importing business with his brother.

Det Sgt Baxter agreed that O’Connor hadn’t been on the garda radar, that the offence had a “devastating impact” on his family and that he had not profited from the venture.

He said O’Connor “was just a person who was being used” and was unlikely to come before the courts again.

He said O’Connor had no drinking problem but was dependent on cannabis in his 20s and 30s and had tried to commit suicide a number of years ago.

Judge O’Donnell ordered that O’Connor receive ongoing psychiatric treatment while serving his prison sentence.