Courts / Dublin / Report

Drugs "gillie" avoids jail

Summary

John Paul Byrne, 32, of Belcamp Crescent, Priorswood, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on 5 May 2016. Gardaí seized €42,000 worth of cannabis from a hold‑all bag in the back of a car in which Byrne was a back‑seat passenger at a north Dublin road checkpoint set up in response to local feud issues. Byrne claimed he owed €15,000 for a drug debt and said he had little choice in moving the drugs, describing himself as a "gillie" or "lackey" on the lowest rung of the trade. His last offence was in 2010; prior convictions were mainly for traffic and public‑order offences. The court accepted his claim of a one‑off venture and noted his efforts to reduce risk factors. Judge Melanie Greally imposed a three‑and‑a‑half‑year suspended sentence, suspended in full on strict conditions, including engagement with the Probation Service and compliance with all directions.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Drugs "gillie" avoids jail. Charges or matters: possession of cannabis for sale or supply on May 5, 2016. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• May 5, 2016 Incident
• 2019-03-26 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report