Waterford drug courier 'not the sharpest knife in the drawer', says his lawyer

The two Waterford men will be sentenced next year for their role in moving drugs

Passing sentence on Thursday, Judge Patricia Ryan said she would place both Nolan and Cawley on a probation bond for one year and will finalise the matter in February 2024. File picture: iStock

Two Waterford men, one described as a “guinea pig” and the other as “not the sharpest knife in the drawer”, will be sentenced next year for their role in moving drugs.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that gardaí were on mobile patrol in an unmarked garda car on the night of March 19, 2020. They observed a van that appeared to be rocking from side to side and pulled the van over. Three men were in the van, and there was a smell of cannabis.

Peter Cawley (42) of German Road, St Johns Park, Waterford city was driving the van while Richard Nolan (35) of Larchville, Waterford city, was found lying down in the back of the van and was seen removing his hand from his waistband and placing something in a bucket. A third man who was in the van is not before the court.

Garda Conor Dooley told David Perry, BL, prosecuting, that the men were arrested, and the van was seized. The van was searched, and heroin valued at €9,683, cocaine valued at €289, cannabis valued at €70 and tablets valued at €80 were seized. A small wrap of cocaine worth €96 was also found in the ashtray at the front of the van.

The court heard that both men were searched in the garda station. Cawley had no drugs on his person. Nolan told gardaí that he had drugs in his underwear and cannabis worth €100, and tablets worth €80 were found.

Nolan also had a white wrap in his mouth, which he refused to spit out and swallowed it. He later told gardaí that this was crack cocaine.

Both men were questioned and said they had been contacted by a person and asked to collect drugs. Cawley said that if he collected the drugs, he would be given €100 worth of cocaine. Nolan was told he would receive a few days’ worth of heroin. Nolan and Cawley were not known to each other.

Nolan has 50 previous convictions, and Cawley has 13. Cawley pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply, and Nolan pleaded guilty to three counts of having drugs for sale or supply in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, on March 19, 2020.

Co-operation

Gda Dooley agreed with counsel defending Nolan that during interview, his client co-operated with gardaí and took ownership of the drugs found on him. Nolan described himself as “a guinea pig”, and the garda agreed.

Nolan offered an apology to the court and said that he “knows he should not have been involved”. Counsel for Nolan said his client had a long-standing heroin addiction which got out of control after the death of his brother in 2018. Clean urine analysis reports were handed to the court.

Gda Dooley agreed with counsel defending Cawley that his client fully complied with gardaí throughout the search of the van and his person and during interview. He also handed over his mobile phone and pin number to gardaí.

A crack pipe was found on his person. He told gardaí that he did not know he had “been given a big shipment of drugs” and that it “was the worst decision I have ever met”. Counsel for Cawley said her client “doesn’t present as the sharpest knife in the drawer”, which Gda Dooley agreed with.

Sentencing

Passing sentence on Thursday, Judge Patricia Ryan said she would place both Nolan and Cawley on a probation bond for one year and will finalise the matter in February 2024.

Judge Ryan said both men entered guilty pleas and made full admissions and that they both acted as drug couriers for a very small amount of drugs as payment.