Corkman with intellectual disability had Pokemon cards taken by drug dealers

Dealers pressured man into holding onto a large consignment of ecstasy tablets if he wanted items, including his phone and a watch, back

Accused had his Pokemon cards taken by drug dealers. File picture: iStock

A man with an intellectual disability had his Pokemon cards and other low-value personal property taken by drug dealers who pressured him into holding onto a large consignment of ecstasy tablets if he wanted the items back.

The man succumbed to their pressure and put himself at risk of a mandatory minimum jail term and up to life imprisonment for having the drugs stored at his home.

He was caught with €19,000 worth of ecstasy tablets at his home in Douglas.

Garda Shane Hayes testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court that gardaí went to the home of 27-year-old John Paul O’Regan of 60 Greenhills Court, Douglas, Cork, on March 4, 2021.

Garda Hayes said he and other uniformed gardaí were accompanied by members of the armed support unit for the purpose of the search.

“On arrival I spoke with John Paul O’Regan and informed him I had a warrant to search the premises. He said he would show gardaí where the drugs were. We went up to a bedroom where he retrieved a white bag inside a box and there were two bags located in this. Both bags contained blue tablets,” Garda Hayes said.

“During interview, he stated he was given the drugs to mind by another person. He said they were in a bag and he never opened the bag,” Garda Hayes said.

Diabetes

Ray Boland asked Judge Helen Boyle to take into consideration the fact the man has diabetes and also has intellectual disabilities. Even though he is 27 years' old, unusually he was accompanied throughout Garda interviews by his father.

“He was holding these drugs. His belongings were taken off him and he was told they would be returned to him. They included his phone worth no more than €100 or €200, a chain, a watch and Pokemon cards which children play with.” 

Mr Boland said the accused and his father, who is 81, depend on each other in different ways.

In light of the evidence I think it is clear the accused is a very vulnerable person preyed upon by other people in the drug trade to store these drugs.

“The guards were so concerned about him that they took the precaution of having the 27-year-old man accompanied by his elderly father,” Mr Boland said.

Judge Helen Boyle said: “I will put it back to the October sessions without making any promises. He has to be able to show he can stay out of trouble.” 

Mr O'Regan was remanded on bail until October 25.

He admitted being in possession of MDMA, better known as ecstasy, for sale or supply when its street value exceeded €13,000 — the threshold for a possible 10-year sentence on conviction unless there are exceptional circumstances.