Courts / Dublin / Report
Jail for father-of-five who agreed to hold cash and drugs
Summary
Stephen Fitzgerald, a 42‑year‑old Dublin father of five, was sentenced to four years in prison at the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing €84,000 that was the proceeds of crime and heroin worth €41,250, a cutting agent worth €1,000, and other drugs. He admitted holding the cash and drugs at his Tallaght home on 6 November 2016, claiming he had no ownership but was acting as a third‑party holder for others. The judge noted Fitzgerald's family had suffered two suicides, leading to stress and drug use, yet described him as a "very good family man" who had supported relatives and volunteered in community projects. The prosecution, represented by Giollaíosa O Lidheadha SC, argued that Fitzgerald had a serious drug debt and a real threat to his life. Stephen Fitzgerald pleaded guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jail for father-of-five who agreed to hold cash and drugs. Charges or matters: possessing €84,000 at his home at Glenshane Green, Tallaght, on November 6, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- November 6, 2016 Incident
- 2018-02-05 Publication
Why: Passing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today, Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Fitzgerald owned neither the drugs nor the cash, but had been holding them for third parties to whom he had become obligated because of his own drug use. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possessing €84,000 at his home at Glenshane Green, Tallaght, on November 6, 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Passing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today, Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Fitzgerald owned neither the drugs nor the cash, but had been holding them for third parties to whom he had become obligated because of his own drug use.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Fitzgerald's house
Topics
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