Courts / Dublin / Report

Three jailed over €200k cannabis bust

Summary

Three men—Eoin Leonard (28), Gary St Ledger (31) and Noel Metcalfe (60)—were convicted in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for possessing €197,400 worth of cannabis. The drugs were seized on 2 April 2015 in Santry after Gardaí were tipped off about a delivery. Leonard handed two boxes to Ledger and Metcalfe. All three pleaded guilty, claiming they were delivering the boxes for others and were unaware of their contents, though they suspected illegal items. Defences cited financial pressures, debt, and threats. Leonard's counsel noted a drug debt and fear for his life; Ledger's counsel said he received €300 to buy a communion dress for his daughter; Metcalfe's counsel highlighted a significant debt and threats. The court found the men were not high‑ranking drug operators. Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Ledger and Metcalfe to 3½ years each, and Leonard to 4 years, citing his slightly more serious role.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Three jailed over €200k cannabis bust. Charges or matters: possessing cannabis at Santry, Dublin on April 2, 2015 after they were caught by gardaí who had been tipped off about a drug delivery taking place. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

• April 2, 2015 Incident
• 1989 and 1988 Incident
• 2016-05-31 Publication

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence

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Read the original CNI report