Dublin man's drug sentence reduced for extraordinary rehabilitation effort

A former carpenter caught with cocaine and heroin has had 2 years slashed off his 7-year jail sentence on appeal due to his "out of the ordinary" efforts at drug rehabilitation.

Christopher Lawless of Orchard Lawns, Ballyfermot, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing €157,000 worth of the drugs for sale or supply at Saggart in July 2010.

The Court of Criminal Appeal reduced the sentence having heard how the 20-year-old got involved in the drugs trade to clear a €50,000 drugs debt he'd incurred after the death of his son.