Cork man swallowed deals of crack cocaine to avoid Garda search, court hears

Defendant also admitted smashing window of Audi car and stealing dashcam

Gardaí observed defendant throwing suspected crack cocaine deals on the ground and then getting down and eating them, court told

Crack cocaine deals were thrown away by a man trying to avoid a search and he was then seen getting down on the ground, eating the drugs and swallowing two deals.

And during another incident, the same man smashed his way into a parked Audi car, was later arrested and put in a Garda patrol car in Cork city centre, only to jump out of the car and flee the scene.

Sergeant John Dineen described these incidents involving 34-year-old Darren Coffey, of no fixed address, who has now been sentenced to a total of seven months in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges arising out of a few incidents in the city.

Acknowledging Mr Coffey’s 173 previous convictions, defence solicitor Eddie Burke said the accused had stayed out of trouble for two years but on a return to Cork city centre he met old friends and got back into difficulties.

In one incident, he put something in his pocket when gardaí approached and started fidgeting with it, Sgt Dineen said.

“Mr Coffey started getting more agitated and on the garda informing him that a drugs search would be carried out, he got aggressive and tried to run away. He was stopped and restrained.

“Due to Mr Coffey’s aggression, the garda had to call for emergency assistance. Mr Coffey was restrained and pepper spray was deployed. He took a number of suspected crack cocaine deals from his pocket and threw them on the ground.

“He was observed getting down on the ground, eating the suspected crack cocaine. He was seen swallowing two deals and more of the drug was recovered,” Sgt Dineen said.

On February 21, at 7.20am, Garda David Egan responded to a call at Andersons Street, where Darren Coffey had smashed the front passenger side window of a dark grey Audi.

“A witness pointed to where Darren Coffey was on Lapps Covey, Cork. Darren Coffey was then arrested and placed in the back of the patrol car. He jumped out of the car and was caught after a short foot pursuit,” Sgt Dineen said.

He admitted damaging the Audi and stealing a dashcam from the car.