Further jail time for man (24) who had 'deeply traumatic upbringing'
A 24-year-old man who had a “deeply traumatic upbringing” has been further sentenced to 15 months in jail for a series of offences including cocaine possession, obstructing gardaí and carrying a baton.
Brandon Deegan, of Redwood Court, Tallaght, Dublin 24 appeared before Tallaght District Court charged in relation to a series of incidents between April and September 2023.
The court heard that on April 29, 2023, gardaí searched Deegan while he was sitting in a car in the Kingswood area of southwest Dublin. A silver extendable baton was found in his pocket and later shown in court.
Deegan was also found in possession of cocaine on two separate occasions: on May 1, 2023, at Old Bawn Road, and again on September 18, 2023, during a search at an apartment in the Gleann na hEorna complex in Tallaght. On September 27, 2023, he obstructed Garda Neil Lynch during another drugs search at Belgard Square South in Tallaght.
He pleaded guilty to the charges.
The court heard Deegan has a number of prior convictions, including a six-month sentence imposed for drug possession in 2020 and a three-month term in May 2023 for a similar offence.
Defence counsel Ethan Foley BL, instructed by solicitor Padraig O’Donovan, told the court that his client had endured a “deeply traumatic upbringing”, spending his first 18 years in State care.
Around the age of 18, the court heard Deegan discovered his mother’s body at home, having already lost his father in 2014. He is one of eight siblings and has also lost a close friend in a road traffic incident.
Mr Foley said his client had supported a partner through serious medical issues and has struggled with his mental health, turning to drugs as a coping mechanism.
Judge John O’Leary imposed a custodial sentence of six months for possession of the baton, three months consecutively for cocaine possession and six months consecutively for obstruction.
Mr Foley asked the court to consider concurrent sentencing, noting that Deegan had entered early guilty pleas and already had a set release date of June 10, 2026 on a different offence.
Judge O’Leary declined the request, stating that if the sentences were not imposed consecutively, Deegan “would not be punished for these new offences”.
In the event of an appeal, fixed recognisance was set with a personal bond of €300.