Courts / Dublin / Report
Vulnerable woman stored guns and €750k in drugs at home
Summary
Denise Bergin, aged 50, was sentenced to five years' imprisonment after pleading guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply, firearms and ammunition. On 18 July 2019 Gardaí seized two semi‑automatic pistols and ammunition hidden in a dog‑food box under her kitchen sink, 37 packages of cannabis, six small bags of cocaine and about 40,000 prescription tablets, totalling €758,000 in value. Bergin claimed she had been asked to hold the items for €400 to pay a drug debt and to visit her sick mother in the UK. She was described as a vulnerable person with a diagnosed emotionally unstable personality disorder, and her mother died two weeks after her arrest. The court noted the exploitation of her vulnerability and imposed the five‑year sentence with mitigation considered.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Vulnerable woman stored guns and €750k in drugs at home. Charges or matters: possession of drugs for sale or supply, possession of firearms and possession of ammunition at her address on July 18, 2019. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- July 18, 2019 Incident
- 2020-05-13 Publication
Why: Denise Bergin (50) stored two semi-automatic pistols in a dog food box under her kitchen sink in order to receive money as she wished to visit her sick mother in the UK. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possession of drugs for sale or supply, possession of firearms and possession of ammunition at her address on July 18, 2019 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Nolan there was very good mitigation in the case and sentenced Bergin to five years imprisonment.
Places mentioned
Topics
Related court reports
- Man charged with having 56k child abuse images and videos remanded on bail
- Ex-Dáil hopeful's allegations against former employer 'complete fantasy', WRC told
- Mater must pay €10k to worker who said he was wrongly accused of abusing patient
- 'I think we know I won't be getting bail' - Daniel Kinahan charged with directing criminal organisation
- Letting agent who claimed alleged domestic violence victim abandoned tenancy by fleeing to refuge must pay €14.7k
- 77-year-old with 470 convictions told Luas staff to 'f**k off'
If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.
Email a correction request