Cork pensioner, 73, caught by gardaí as he was about to smoke heroin

The pensioner had been taking heroin to trreat his backache, the court heard.

 A 73-year-old pensioner was caught as he prepared to smoke heroin at Blackrock village in Cork.

When Patrick Hegarty, of Forest Hill in Midleton, appeared in Cork District Court pleading guilty to the charge of possession of Diamorphine (heroin) for his own use, his solicitor Joseph Cuddigan said: “He is somewhat older than the usual person coming before the court.” 

Mr Cuddigan explained that the pensioner suffered from chronic backache and that someone advised him to try taking Diamorphine as an alternative way of controlling pain.

“He began to take it to ease the chronic backache,” Mr Cuddigan said, adding that the accused no longer took the drug.

The solicitor said: “He is an old age pensioner. He was smoking it. He is not addicted. He realises he cannot take it, he should not take it and he won’t take it.” 

Suspended sentence

Judge Olann Kelleher imposed a three-month suspended jail term on the 73-year-old. He will not serve the sentence if has no more convictions in the next two years.

Sgt Kelleher outlined the background to the detection of the offence.

“On Tuesday, September 28, 2021, at Ursuline’s Road, Blackrock Village, at 9.30am, Garda Paul Lynch was on patrol when he observed a man sitting in the driver’s seat of a van which was parked at the side of the road.

“This man appeared to be preparing to use drugs as there was a sheet of tinfoil placed on the dashboard of the van.

“Garda Lynch approached him and identified himself. Patrick Hegarty became extremely panicked and began to sweat while speaking with Garda Lynch.

“A wrap of heroin was found on the dashboard of his van. After caution he stated that it was his for his own use,” Sgt Kelleher said.