Cork man arrested in Finland on European warrant to face heroin charges jailed

Kevin Sweeney, 57, was caught with more than €60,000 worth of heroin when he was living in squalor in a house in Cork in 2015, court told

Judge said the seriousness of the charge, combined with the fact the accused effectively fled the jurisdiction, made it impossible for her to impose a fully suspended sentence. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

A 57-year-old man who was caught with more than €60,000 worth of heroin when he was living in squalor in a house in Cork in 2015 was arrested recently in Finland on a European warrant.

Kevin Sweeney was brought before Cork Circuit Criminal Court for sentencing, where Detective Garda Jerome Murphy described the circumstances of the detection of the diamorphine (heroin) on July 15, 2015, at his home at the time on Glentrasna Drive, The Glen, Cork.

Now at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Helen Boyle has imposed a five-year sentence on Sweeney and suspended half of it.

Ray Boland, defence senior counsel, had stressed the fact that the defendant had completely distanced himself from addiction and the drug scene and was now in employment and living with his family in Finland.

However, the judge said the seriousness of the charge, combined with the fact the accused effectively fled the jurisdiction, made it impossible for her to impose a fully suspended sentence.

The charge to which Sweeney pleaded guilty was one of having diamorphine for sale or supply when its street value exceeded €13,000. This is the threshold figure which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years unless the judge finds there are exceptional circumstances.

Mr Boland submitted: “It is an unusual case in a number of respects. It is very unusual that a man leading an otherwise blameless life would become addicted to heroin in his late 40s. He is now 57.

“He managed to rehabilitate himself completely from heroin without any help from outside agencies.

“He was in the throes of addiction at the time of the offence.

“I should say in relation to the €62,000 worth of heroin, the amount of drugs is less relevant in the case of a storeman than it would be in the case of a distributor.

“The evidence was that he previously stored small amounts.” Mr Boland said Sweeney developed depression and anxiety following the breakdown of a relationship and became addicted to heroin.

Judge Boyle said people who get the benefit of a fully suspended sentence for drugs are often young people “who do not have the wisdom of years”. 

The judge also said in relation to the application for a fully suspended sentence: “He left the jurisdiction for a considerable number of years.” 

Detective Garda Murphy said gardaí went to the defendant’s home on July 15, 2015.

Sixteen bags of heroin were found in the sitting room and in a lunchbox in the kitchen a further 14 bags of the drugs were found.

More than €1,000 in cash was also found together with a weighing scales.

“He made full admissions to storing heroin. He was paid in small quantities of heroin and cash. He said he let another person hide heroin in the house,” Det Gda Murphy said.

He was arrested in Finland in July and conveyed back to Ireland on September 16.

Judge Boyle noted from the evidence the accused was addicted to heroin and effectively living in squalor at the time of the offence but was “a different man now”. 

The evidence was that he was playing music and living productively in Finland without any involvement in drugs.