Corkman who swallowed drugs in front of gardaí gets 14 months in prison
The judge imposed a total jail term of 14 months on Dineen, made up by a series of consecutive sentences and disqualified him from driving for 14 years.
A young man with a list of criminal convictions swallowed drugs in front of gardaí as they tried to search him and he also lashed out at them during this obstruction.
Now he has been jailed for a total of 14 months for this offence and a series of other crimes. Sergeant Pat Lyons gave details of several crimes covering a period of over three years, to which Shane Dineen, 28, pleaded guilty at Cork District Court.
Dineen had a number of addresses including one former address at East Avenue, Park Gate, Frankfield, Douglas, Cork. On May 3, 2020, gardaí received confidential information of drugs being sold at Park Gate.
“Shane Dineen was seen leaving the property and he was stopped a short distance away. Gardaí told him they had a warrant and they wanted him to go back to the house. He became visibly nervous and placed a small packet in his mouth and attempted to swallow it.
“Gardaí were unable to prevent him as he lashed out at them. This resulted in the obstruction charge being brought against him,” Sgt Lyons said.
The following year at a time when Dineen was disputing with the landlord about the issue of residing at the Park Gate address, the defendant used a rock to break a window to let himself in. He pleaded guilty to a charge of causing criminal damage arising out of that.
Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the criminal damage incident on April 20, 2021, had a background and it was not a burglary situation. Sgt Lyons said: “That is accepted.”
Most recently, on May 16 this year Dineen caused a disturbance at Deanrock in Togher. The defendant shouted at gardaí to "f*** off" and was arrested for causing a breach of the peace.
There were a number of charges dating back to August 2019 and in the months following that when he drove a car without a licence or insurance. Then there was an incident on March 9, 2021, where gardaí encountered him at St Luke’s in Cork. Dineen claimed he had been struck by a car.
An ambulance was called and brought him to Cork University Hospital but after examination it was found that he had no injuries consistent with being struck by a vehicle, Sgt Lyons said. The defendant became abusive to staff at the hospital at this stage and gardaí had to be called.
Around this time there was one final incident at Commons Road in Cork when gardaí approached him to search for suspected drugs again and he placed something in his hand and clenched his fist tight. It turned out to be €50 worth of cocaine.
Frank Buttimer, solicitor, said the defendant got into all of these difficulties following his release from prison. He said Dineen had done well in prison but in the absence of step-down facilities he regressed as soon as he was released.
Judge Colm Roberts said that countries like the Netherlands had such facilities where prisoners are provided with interim accommodation on release from prison. “It would seem to be a little more humane there,” the judge said.
Mr Buttimer said: “Instead, he fell back into the same pattern of contact and associations.” Judge Roberts acknowledged the progress made by the accused but said: “He has a bit of a road to go.”
The judge imposed a total jail term of 14 months on Dineen, made up by a series of consecutive sentences and disqualified him from driving for 14 years.
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