Community service for man's 'hair-brained plan' to smuggle drugs into Cork Prison

The judge said: “It is so hare-brained I don’t know how he thought he could get away with it.” 

The Cork Prison drugs dog sniffed out the stash and the visitor was prosecuted on drug charges to which he pleaded guilty. File photo: Dan Linehan

A young Waterford man who came up with a “hare-brained plan” to carry cannabis and tablets into Cork Prison when visiting was yesterday ordered to do 200 hours of community service. 

Judge Olann Kelleher said to the accused: “The only reason you are not going to prison for this is your age and I really think you did not realise the seriousness of bringing drugs into prison.” As well as the community service the judge imposed a six-month suspended jail term.

Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the probation report was favourable to the young man Darren Fagan.

The prison drugs dog sniffed out the stash and the visitor was prosecuted on drug charges to which he pleaded guilty.

The attempted drug-smuggling

Sergeant John Kelleher said at Cork District Court that Darren Fagan went to Cork Prison on Rathmore Road on January 21, 2020, to visit a friend of his who was serving a sentence.

Sgt Kelleher said the young man arrived at the visiting area and as part of routine security measures a drug dog detected the presence of drugs on the visitor.

Darren Fagan was then searched by a prison officer and found to be carrying what were described as 25 Valium-type tablets called Alprazolam and €50 worth of cannabis.

'A hare-brained idea'

Mr Buttimer, solicitor, said: “This was not a very successful attempt to do what he should not have been doing anyway.

“This was an idea he came up with himself. His friend was in Cork prison. He decided to bring him a present. His friend was not expecting to get this present.

“The prison officer probably realised straightaway what was going on.

“He admitted this rather hare-brained idea.” Judge Kelleher said: “It is so hare-brained I don’t know how he thought he could get away with it.” 

21-year-old Darren Fagan of Richardson’s Meadow, Kilcohan, Waterford, pleaded guilty to charges of conveying drugs to Cork Prison, namely the €50 worth of cannabis and the 25 Alprazolam tablets.