Courts / Dublin / Report

Homeless man stashed €1.7k in heroin in underwear

Date
2020-05-08

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Mountjoy

County
Dublin

Summary

David Banks, 45, a homeless man with 22 prior convictions, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for possession of heroin for sale or supply. He pleaded guilty to offences at Mountjoy Square on 21 June 2018 and 4 July 2018, and at Store Street Garda Station on 26 July 2018. Garda Gerard Whelan reported that police entered a friend's address at Mountjoy Square in June, finding €2,330 worth of heroin that Banks had stored there. A subsequent raid on 4 July uncovered an additional €2,150 worth of heroin. On 26 July, Banks was stopped on the street, searched, and a further €1,700 worth of heroin was found in his underwear at Store Street Garda Station. Judge Melanie Greally noted that Banks had been a chronic drug addict from a young age, had worked as a painter and decorator, and had been homeless intermittently.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Homeless man stashed €1.7k in heroin in underwear. Charges or matters: possession of heroin for sale or supply at Mountjoy Square, Dublin on June 21, 2018 and July 4, 2018; possession of heroin for sale or supply at Store Street Garda Station, Dublin on July 26, 2018. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

June 21, 2018 Incident
July 4, 2018 Incident
July 26, 2018 Incident
July 4 Incident
July 26 Incident
2020-05-08 Publication

Case subjects

David Banks

Defendant

Charges: possession of heroin for sale or supply at Mountjoy Square, Dublin on June 21, 2018 and July 4, 2018; possession of heroin for sale or supply at Store Street Garda Station, Dublin on July 26, 2018 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: She sentenced him to two-and-a-half years imprisonment, but suspended the final 12 months of the sentence on strict conditions including that he follow all directions of the Probation Service for 12 months post release.