Drug addict asks judge to send him to Cork Prison 'just to get clean'

Leonard Geasley was caught with two wraps of heroin in his sock when he was searched by gardaí

Judge Dorgan sentenced him to four months for having the heroin last August. File picture: Dan Linehan

A crack cocaine addiction prompted a 37-year-old man to ask a sentencing judge to send him to jail so that he could get himself clear of the drug.

Leonard Geasley was caught with two wraps of Diamorphine (heroin) in his sock when he was searched by gardaí on August 30, 2023, and now Judge Mary Dorgan has sentenced him to four months in prison.

Leonard Geasley of Sunview Court, Sunvalley Drive, Fairhill, Cork, told Judge Mary Dorgan that since he was caught with the heroin he had come off this drug.

“Basically, I was on 80 mls of methadone and that is down to 15 mls now (in getting off heroin). I am addicted to crack cocaine. I was hoping you could give me a minimum sentence — just to get clean,” Mr Geasley said.

The accused man had numerous previous convictions including 11 counts of having drugs for his own use previously.

Judge Dorgan sentenced him to four months for having the heroin last August. Defence solicitor, Eddie Burke, said the accused would serve that time and he had no intention of appealing the sentence.

The background to the detection of the offence on August 30, 2023, was that Garda Shane Hayes observed him acting suspiciously and carried out a search.

When searched he had two small wrappings of brown powder substance in the right sock. He admitted it was heroin for his own use.

His address on the charge sheet was at Sunview Court but there was evidence of an address also at Deerpark House on Friars Walk.