Former jockey who had €400-a-day cocaine habit jailed over €553,000 drugs seizures

James O’Neill was trying to pay off a €100,000 drugs debt by transporting drugs in the hope of reducing it by €1,000 each time 

James O’Neill has been sentenced to six and a half years with the last two years suspended. File picture

A 38-year-old former jockey with a cocaine addiction costing him €300 to €400 per day ended up with a drugs debt of over €100,000 which he was trying to pay off by transporting drugs in the hope of reducing his debt by €1,000 each time.

However, James O’Neill ended up being caught at the height of these problems with drugs totalling €553,000 and now he has been sentenced to six and a half years with the last two years suspended by Judge Sinéad Behan.