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Homeless man agreed to transport over €200k in heroin to raise deposit for new home

Summary

Pierce Hilliard, a 32‑year‑old former resident of Ballyogan Green, Carrickmines, was sentenced to four and a half years in prison for possessing 1.48 kg of heroin in Sandyford Road, Dublin, on 24 May 2016. He admitted that he had agreed to transport more than €200,000 worth of heroin to raise a deposit for a new flat, describing the act as one of desperation. Hilliard's daughter was in care and he claimed he was trying to secure a home to better look after her. He had 84 prior convictions, mainly for traffic offences, but no previous drug convictions or links to the drug trade. Gardaí had set up a surveillance operation that caught him placing the drugs in a shopping bag in a car park. He pleaded guilty, took full responsibility, and the court accepted his explanation that he had agreed to transport the drugs for monetary gain.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Homeless man agreed to transport over €200k in heroin to raise deposit for new home. Charges or matters: possession of 1.48 Kg of heroin at Sandyford Road, Dublin on May 24, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• May 24, 2016 Incident
• May 24 Incident
• 2017-03-27 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report