Bantry drug dealer was ‘small cog’ in West Cork cocaine network, court hears

Judge says defendant reoffended while on bail as court hears details of cocaine seizures

A garda search found 16.2 grams of cocaine in bags valued at €1,134 in a camper van. File picture: iStock

A Cork man who pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine for sale or supply was described as “a small cog” in a Bantry-based organisation dealing cocaine in West Cork, Bantry District Court heard.

Ronan O’Sullivan, 45, of 4 Slip Heights, Bantry, Co Cork, pleaded guilty at a recent sitting of Bantry District Court to two counts of possession of cocaine and two counts of possession of cocaine for sale or supply.

Giving evidence, Detective Sergeant Michael Lyons said a warrant was obtained to search O’Sullivan’s home at Slip Heights on April 4, 2023. During the search, 16.2g of cocaine, with an estimated value of €1,134, was recovered from a camper van. Empty bags, scales and a tick list were also recovered.

The court heard that Mr O’Sullivan admitted the drugs were his and that they were in his possession for the purpose of sale or supply.

On November 5, 2024, another warrant was issued to search the same house at 4 Slip Heights. During the search, Mr O’Sullivan was present and sitting on a couch from which 8.1g of cocaine was recovered, valued at €568.82.

During an interview at Bandon Garda Station, O’Sullivan admitted possession of the drugs for sale or supply. Both quantities of drugs recovered were later confirmed to be cocaine following testing by Forensic Science Ireland.

The court heard that Mr O’Sullivan had 27 previous convictions, including one for possession and one for possession for sale or supply of illegal drugs arising from an offence in March 2023. Mr O’Sullivan was out on bail for the March 2023 incident when he was arrested in connection with the April 2023 incident.

The court was told that Mr O’Sullivan had also received a five-month suspended sentence and a 10-year driving disqualification. Det Sgt Lyons said Mr O’Sullivan was, and continues to be, a target of the Cork Divisional Drugs Unit.

He said Mr O’Sullivan was part of a group of known drug dealers in the Bantry area and, though he was not “top dog”, he was “central to that group”.

Colette McCarthy, defending, said Mr O’Sullivan was “a small cog” in the organisation and was someone who had mental health issues and was “susceptible to those higher up”.

She said Mr O’Sullivan was “someone susceptible to outside influence”, worked sporadically as a handyman and was also a single father to a teenage child.

Judge Joanne Carroll said Mr O’Sullivan knew right from wrong and was not a young man. She said that, even though he was a father, he took part in a business that he knew caused serious harm to families and had reoffended in “the most grievous way possible”.

Mr O’Sullivan was sentenced to nine months in prison, with the last two months suspended for two years, on both counts of possession for sale or supply, with the sentences to run concurrently. Recognisance for appeal was fixed at €100 cash on each charge.

Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme.