West Cork fisherman tells court he was first given heroin as a wedding present

The man told the judge he had first used heroin after he was given it as a present at his wedding day in Dublin in 1983

Peter Mackey, of 5 Rinn na Mara, Castletownbere, Co Cork, told the court he didn't realise the dangers of heroin when he first used it in 1983.

A fisherman has told how receiving a wedding present of heroin "destroyed" him.

Peter Mackey, of 5 Rinn na Mara, Castletownbere, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of cannabis on February 27 last year, with Judge James McNulty hearing  the 61-year-old is still on a methadone programme.

Mr Mackey, who said he was originally from Kerry, told the judge he had first used heroin after he was given it as a present on his wedding day in Dublin in 1983.

He said he had been fishing out of Dublin at the time and was married to a woman from the capital, who has since passed away.

"At the time in Dublin, it was prevalent," he told Bantry District Court.

"I was actually handed it the day I got married. I was handed it as a present. It was my first [time using it]."

'Wicked wedding present'

The judge remarked it was a "wicked wedding present" and Mr Mackey said: "It was."

He said he was innocent at the time of the dangers of the drug. 

"I didn't realise it was going to cause the trouble it did."

He said it did not grip on him properly for the first five years and said: "They describe people like me as functioning addicts."

He said he was never homeless and always had work, "but at the same time it destroyed me". He said his drug use had damaged relationships, which he had since repaired.

The fisherman came before the court to plead guilty to two charges of possession of cannabis. 

Sgt Trish O'Sullivan told the court that on February 27 last year during a search of a separate property in Castletownbere, Mr Mackey had arrived at the scene. He was searched and cannabis resin was found on his person.

A warrant was then secured for a search that same day at Mr Mackey's home, and again cannabis resin was detected. 

The court heard the total value of the seizures in both locations was €830. Mr Mackey told gardaí it was for his own personal use, a point reiterated in court by his solicitor, Ray Hennessy.

Six previous convictions

The court also heard Mr Mackey had six previous convictions, including three relating to possession of drugs, dating from 2002 to last year.

A positive reference from his current employer was also produced in court.

Judge McNulty shared with the court the reasons that had been provided by gardaí for the search of Mr Mackey's home, which they had said was based on a "previously reliable source" and a level of surveillance.

Mr Hennessy said this information was "totally and utterly wrong" and that "there was no truth in it whatsoever".

Judge McNulty said he would convict Mr Mackey on both possession charges but would defer penalty for the production of a probation report in court on September 23 next.

Mr Mackey also pleaded not guilty to another charge, that of possession of diamorphine on January 10 last year. The hearing of that matter will also take place on September 23.