Courts / Dublin / Report

Drugs offender avoids jail for holding €15k in heroin

Date
2024-06-25
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Daniel O'Connell, 42, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply after a Garda search of his home in Cherry Orchard Park, Ballyfermot, uncovered 113 g of diamorphine worth €15,904. He claimed he was holding the drugs for a third party to reduce a €5,000 debt and said it was the first and last time he would hold drugs. O'Connell, who has 19 prior convictions including three drug offences, voluntarily contacted Gardaí after the search and attended the station the next day. Judge Orla Crowe, noting his efforts to turn his life around and his engagement with addiction treatment, imposed a two‑year suspended sentence, suspended in its entirety for three years, and ordered 12 months of supervision and after‑care support. The court also heard that he has a job offer and has completed an up‑skilling programme.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Drugs offender avoids jail for holding €15k in heroin. Charges or matters: possession of heroin for sale or supply on March 8, 2022 at the same location. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Case subjects

Daniel O'Connell

Defendant

Charges: possession of heroin for sale or supply on March 8, 2022 at the same location (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Judge Orla Crowe handed down a two-year suspended sentence, noting that O'Connell had turned his life around. The judge imposed two-year sentence but suspended it in its entirety for a period of three years.

Places mentioned

Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Residence
Garda Station
  • address. He attended the garda station

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

Correction or retraction request

If a fact, identity, locality or legal outcome needs review, email the newsroom with this report's details prefilled.

Email a correction request