Courts / Dublin / Report

5-year sentence for man who packed drugs worth over €4m

Date
2018-05-08

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Mark O'Dwyer, 44, of Dublin, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court after pleading guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply and three charges of possessing stun guns. The drugs, valued at €4,170,932, were found at an address on Ballyfermot Drive on July 17, 2017. Detective Garda Brian Foran testified that the location operated as a large-scale drug distribution hub, containing 188 kgs of cannabis and 2.9 kgs of heroin. O'Dwyer admitted to being recruited as an unskilled labourer to pack the drugs, a role for which he was promised €1,500. Judge Martin Nolan noted O'Dwyer had no proprietary interest in the drugs and had maintained a methadone programme for 20 years. In a related matter, Stephen Sarsfield, 39, of Dublin 8, was jailed for seven years last month after pleading guilty to the same offence. Both men were observed transferring boxes of cannabis from a lorry into a garage before gardaí executed a search warrant. The court accepted that O'Dwyer did not resist arrest and co-operated with police. The sentence reflects the serious nature of the operation, despite O'Dwyer's limited involvement and lack of prior convictions since his methadone enrolment.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: 5-year sentence for man who packed drugs worth over €4m. Charges or matters: possession of the drugs for sale or supply, worth a total €4,170,932, at an address on Ballyfermot Drive, on July 17, 2017; three charges of possessing stun guns at the same place on the same date; the same offence. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

July 17, 2017 Incident
2018-05-08 Publication

Why: Michael O'Higgins SC, defending, said his client had been on a methadone maintenance programme for 20 years and has not committed any crimes, either supporting or because of his drug addiction, since. Defence account reported by CNI

Case subjects

Mark O'Dwyer

Convicted Person

Charges: possession of the drugs for sale or supply, worth a total €4,170,932, at an address on Ballyfermot Drive, on July 17, 2017; three charges of possessing stun guns at the same place on the same date; the same offence (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Stephen Sarsfield

Convicted Person

Charges: the same offence (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Stephen Sarsfield of New Street Gardens, Dublin 8, was jailed for seven years after he pleaded guilty to the same offence.