Bernard Nugent handed suspended sentence for heroin offence

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Bernard Nugent was given a four-year prison sentence, suspended for three years, for possessing diamorphine for sale or supply at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The proceedings were reported on 21 November 2022.

Nugent pleaded guilty to one count on 19 April 2008. The case involved a one-kilogram bag of diamorphine, valued at €200,000 at the time, being taken from his van at the Red Cow Hotel car park. He told gardai he had been instructed to take the bag there to reduce a drug debt.

The court was told on 18 November 2022 that the case had been delayed by fitness-to-plead issues. Defence counsel said Nugent had been a heroin addict at the time, but was now drug-free, and had mental health and cognitive difficulties while caring for his wife. Detective Garda John Donnehy agreed that Nugent had acted under instruction and feared for his life.

Judge Patricia Ryan described Nugent as having played a key role in the transaction and set a headline sentence of five years. She imposed four years in prison, suspended for three years, citing the guilty plea, admissions to gardai and the age of the offence as mitigating factors.