Courts / Dublin / Report

Barber met €2.8m cocaine charge with: 'I'm going to get a degree inside'

Summary

Graham Doherty, a barber from St John's Crescent, Clondalkin, was sentenced to seven and a half years' imprisonment on his 34th birthday after pleading guilty to possessing 40.34 kg of cocaine for sale or supply on 9 July 2024. The drugs, worth €2,823,000, were seized following a search warrant issued after a reliable report of suspicious activity. Garda Charles McPartland described Doherty as a well‑respected barber who had fallen on hard times and accrued a drug debt, making him vulnerable. Gardaí found 28 kg of cocaine in a suitcase, seven in a SuperValu bag, one loose, and further bricks in a kitchen oven. During the seizure Doherty admitted responsibility, saying, "I'm going to get a degree inside." Judge Martin Nolan noted Doherty's good work history and the lack of evidence he was the owner or would benefit greatly, but acknowledged his role in a serious drug‑dealing enterprise.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Barber met €2.8m cocaine charge with: 'I'm going to get a degree inside'. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• July 9, 2024 Incident
• 2025-02-20 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report