Courts / Dublin / Report
Man "extremely far down the pecking order" in drugs trade avoids jail
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court hearing on 24 January 2019, Mark McKenna, aged 29, pleaded guilty to possessing €64,660 of cannabis at his Castlewood, Huntstown home on 20 October 2016. Garda Mark Quill reported that officers found 3 kg of the drug and €150 in counterfeit notes. McKenna had no prior convictions and had admitted to storing the cannabis to offset a drug debt. Judge Karen O'Connor imposed a fully suspended three‑year sentence, provided McKenna keeps the peace, behaves well for three years, engages with the Probation Service for 18 months and completes a residential drug treatment programme. The court noted McKenna was "extremely far down the pecking order" in the drugs trade, was unemployed, and had been in the sphere of influence of serious people.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Man "extremely far down the pecking order" in drugs trade avoids jail. Charges or matters: possessing €64,660 of cannabis at his address on October 20, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- October 20, 2016 Incident
- 2019-01-24 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: possessing €64,660 of cannabis at his address on October 20, 2016 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Karen O'Connor sentenced McKenna to three years imprisonment, but suspended the entirety of the sentence provided that he keep the peace and be of good behaviour for a period of three years, that he engage with The Probation Service for 18 months and that he complete a residential drug treatment program.
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