No jail for couple who stored €550,000 worth of cannabis

A Dublin couple who stored over half a million euros worth of cannabis in their home have been given a seven year suspended sentence.

Keith Jervis (aged 34) and Therese Doyle (aged 33) of Rosewood Grove, Lucan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession for sale and supply of €549,000 of herbal cannabis.

Detective Garda Liam Aherne told Judge Martin Nolan that on March 19, 2010, he executed a warrant to search the couple’s home and found 45 kilos of cannabis sealed in 15 silver bags.

Gda Aherne agreed with prosecution counsel, Mr Kerida Naidoo BL, that both Jervis and Doyle, who have been in a relationship for 17 years and have two young sons, made immediate admissions and directed gardaí to where the drugs were hidden.

During questioning the couple informed gardaí that they were approached outside their local Spar shop and asked to store an undisclosed amount of cannabis for a short period of time in their home for a "modest reward" of €300.

Gda Aherne agreed with Mr Giollaiosa O'Lideadha SC, defending Jervis, that the couple were "shocked" and "in fear" when they realised the amount of drugs involved.

Describing the pair as "vulnerable", Gda Aherne told the court that Doyle has no previous convictions while Jervis has 12, the majority of which are motoring offences and one from 1997 for possession of a small amount of drugs.

Gda Aherne agreed with defence counsel for Doyle, Ms Iseult O'Malley SC, that the couple’s involvement in this type of crime was not an "on-going practice”.

Mr O'Lideadha told Judge Nolan that Jervis had been in stable employment up until 2008 when he was made redundant.

As a result the family found themselves struggling financially and were going to use the proceeds of storing the drugs to pay household bills.

Describing the case as "wholly unusual" Judge Nolan said that when passing sentence he would take into account the couple’s early guilty plea, positive references and the fact they appeared to be good parents who both gave the court "reason for optimism".

Sentencing them both to seven years suspended in its entirety for seven years, Judge Nolan said he believed the couple were "on the road to rehabilitation" and " were driven to this action out of desperation".

The couple broke down and hugged each other as the sentence was read out.