'Heroin makes slaves of addicts,' says judge as she jails Youghal drug dealer

The accused said his addiction was “crippling, my money goes full out on drugs."

The defendant said the heroin cost him €250 for seven grammes and that he intended to inject it over a period of two days and that none of it would be for supplying to any other party.

Heroin makes slaves of those who become addicted, a judge said as a Youghal man has been sentenced to one year in jail for dealing the drug.

Judge Helen Boyle imposed a two-year sentence and suspended the second half of that at Cork Circuit Criminal Court.

David Stephens admitted drug possession but denied having €980 worth of heroin for the purpose of selling or supplying and was put on trial by judge and jury on that charge. The jury reached a majority 10-2 guilty verdict in the case against David Stephens, aged 34, of Blackwater Heights, Youghal, County Cork.

Stephens had 18 previous convictions for having drugs for his own use and four convictions for having them for sale or supply.

Mahon Corkery, defence barrister, said the defendant had never profited from the sale or supply of heroin and had been addicted to the drug for the past 15 years.

Judge Boyle said: “I accept you are at the very lowest level in the organising of the sale of heroin. But heroin is a very serious drug and it makes slaves of people who are addicted to it.” During the trial evidence was given that Garda Jason Goggin and his colleague Garda Michelle Beausang were in a patrol car driving up Cork Hill in Youghal on August 20, 2019.

Garda Goggin said: “I observed a black car parked at the junction. I observed him exit the car. He began to run down the hill towards the petrol station.” Garda Goggin approached him soon afterwards at the garage and found that Stephens was acting suspiciously. 

“I said I would be carrying out a search. He said he would prefer it to be done at the garda station. He was processed in relation to the charge and brought to a cell area. He then placed his hands down into his pants. He removed a small package,” Garda Goggin said.

"I don’t sell drugs, I take them"

The young man confessed to having the heroin for his own use but not for the purpose of sale or supply shortly before 7pm that evening.

He said he left home and met “the lads”. Asked who they were, he said: “No comment.” Asked who he bought the drugs from, he did not want to say, adding “these are people you don’t mess with”. 

He said it cost him €250 for seven grammes and that he intended to inject it over a period of two days and that none of it would be for supplying to any other party.

Asked how bad his addiction was, he replied: “Crippling. To be honest, my money goes full out on drugs. I don’t sell drugs, I take them. I would not give any names, I would be in fear. I tried my best in the last few years to turn my life around.” 

Inspector Seán Leahy said that in more than 20 years experience of investigating drugs cases, 6.9 grammes of heroin would have to be used over a longer period and could not be for immediate personal use.