Eoin Daly pleads guilty to drug possession in Dublin

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

Eoin Daly (30) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to one count of possessing heroin for sale or supply and one count of possessing cocaine. The charges concerned possession on 10 May 2015. The proceedings were reported on 1 June 2016.

Daly swallowed more than €8,000 worth of heroin and cocaine and smuggled it into Cloverhill Prison after attending his son’s communion. The court heard he had been on remand for a burglary offence and was granted compassionate bail to attend.

Detective Garda Stephen Cullen said Daly was placed in an observation cell when he returned. The report said he was later found asleep on the toilet with a package between his legs containing heroin valued at €7,350 and cocaine valued at €787.

The detective said “serious threats” had been made against Daly to bring drugs into the prison after word spread about his compassionate leave. He said Daly would not identify those responsible for safety reasons.

Daly had 32 previous convictions and was serving a five-and-a-half-year sentence for burglaries in Portlaoise Prison. The report said he was due for release the following April. Judge Patrick McCartan described his criminal record as “appalling”.

The judge read a letter indicating Daly was rehabilitating from drugs and wanted to change his life. He said he was impressed by the letter but told Daly: “You tell me you’re now drug-free. We’ll see.”

The judge said Daly faced a “significant term of imprisonment”, but said he would order a probation services report and drug testing before making a final sentencing decision. The matter was listed to return on 28 July.