Courts / Kildare / Report
Pair given ten year jail terms for possession of €3.5m worth of cocaine and heroin lose appeals
Summary
In November 2014, Mark Mahony, aged 34, and Jason Brennan, aged 33, were convicted of possessing €3.5 million worth of cocaine and heroin. Both were sentenced to 13 years' imprisonment, with a three‑year portion suspended, by Judge Martin Nolan at Naas Circuit Criminal Court. The pair had met in the car park of a service station in Naas on 17 January 2013, where they transferred boxes of drugs to Mahony's car. They were arrested as they tried to leave the car park. The drugs were valued at €488,761 of cocaine and just over €3.1 million of heroin. Both men appealed, arguing the sentence was excessive and that mitigating factors had not been adequately considered. Judge Garrett Sheehan rejected the appeal, noting that neither had prior convictions, that Mahony had worked from age 15 and had been drug‑free at sentencing, and that Brennan had worked steadily from 2003 to 2012 and had a family. Mark Mahony pleaded guilty. Jason Brennan pleaded guilty.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Pair given ten year jail terms for possession of €3.5m worth of cocaine and heroin lose appeals. Charges or matters: possession of €3.5 million worth of heroin and cocaine in January 2013. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- January 2013 Incident
- January 17 2013 Incident
- 2003 to 2012 Other
- 2014-11-24 Publication
Why: Brennan had told gardaí that if he had known he was involved in he distribution of heroin he would not have involved himself because he had suffered from the drug himself. CNI source report
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: possession of €3.5 million worth of heroin and cocaine in January 2013 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: They were both sentenced to 13 years imprisonment each with the final three suspended by Judge Martin Nolan at Naas Circuit Criminal Court in November of last year. The judge said both men were appealing their sentence on grounds that they were excessive and oppressive and insufficient weight was given to mitigating factors.
Appellant
Charges: possession of €3.5 million worth of heroin and cocaine in January 2013 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: They were both sentenced to 13 years imprisonment each with the final three suspended by Judge Martin Nolan at Naas Circuit Criminal Court in November of last year. The judge said both men were appealing their sentence on grounds that they were excessive and oppressive and insufficient weight was given to mitigating factors.
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