DPP appeal over Christopher Geraghty’s €242,984 drug sentence dismissed

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The Court of Appeal dismissed the Director of Public Prosecutions’ appeal seeking a review of Christopher Geraghty’s drug sentence on 15 October 2018. Mr Justice McCarthy delivered the court’s judgment.

Geraghty pleaded guilty on 16 February 2017 to possessing PVP, a controlled drug valued at €242,984, for supply on 15 October 2014. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentenced him on 4 October 2017 to four years in prison, with two years suspended.

The Court of Appeal considered the sentence lenient, perhaps unduly lenient. It declined to increase it primarily because of exceptional delay arising from the Bederev proceedings and also because Geraghty’s release was imminent.

A nolle prosequi had been entered on 13 March 2015 after a High Court decision concerning the status of PVP. Following the Supreme Court’s reversal of that decision, Geraghty was recharged on 5 September 2016.