Courts / Dublin / Report
No increase in sentence for man caught with €17k in cocaine while on bail
Summary
Marcus Gantley, 23, was sentenced to a three‑year term with the final 18 months suspended after pleading guilty to obstructing a peace officer, assaulting a Garda, and two separate possession of controlled drug offences. The Court of Appeal upheld the sentence, describing it as "very lenient" but not "unduly lenient." Gantley was found in possession of €700 worth of heroin after a violent struggle in a Spar shop and €17,000 worth of cocaine at Dublin Airport, where customs officers confronted him over a black bag. He was on bail for the earlier charges at the time of the cocaine offence. The judge noted Gantley's history of drug addiction, chaotic lifestyle, and high risk of reoffending, and highlighted that the offences were committed over a short period, showing a disregard for bail conditions. The Court of Appeal dismissed the Director of Public Prosecutions' application for a review, leaving the original sentence intact.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: No increase in sentence for man caught with €17k in cocaine while on bail. Charges or matters: obstructing a peace officer, section 2 assault of a garda and two section 15 counts of possession of a controlled drug in separate incidents at various locations in the capital; a section 2 assault of a garda when the garda was attempting to search Gantley. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- October 3, 2016 Incident
- 2017-07-04 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: obstructing a peace officer, section 2 assault of a garda and two section 15 counts of possession of a controlled drug in separate incidents at various locations in the capital; a section 2 assault of a garda when the garda was attempting to search Gantley (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was given an effective three-year-sentence with the final 18 months suspended by Judge Sarah Berkeley on October 3, 2016. The three-judge Court of Appeal said today that Gantley's sentence was "very lenient" but fell short of being "unduly lenient", following an application for a review of sentence brought by the Director of Public Prosecutions.
Places mentioned
Topics
Airport Incidents Drugs Stage Appeal Violent Crime
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