John Paul Duncan jailed for cocaine possession and garda assaults

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

John Paul Duncan was jailed for three years, with the final six months suspended, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 11 October 2023. Judge Orla Crowe imposed the sentence after Duncan pleaded guilty to possessing €8,500 of cocaine and admitted assaulting two gardaí at the Mater Hospital.

The cocaine was found at Store Street Garda Station on 31 January 2023, while the assaults happened after gardaí took Duncan to hospital when he became unwell after swallowing cocaine. His defence sought a fully suspended sentence so he could attend residential drug treatment, citing his long-standing addiction, early plea, remorse and rehabilitation efforts.

Judge Crowe suspended the final six months for 18 months and ordered Duncan to be of good behaviour on release and abide by Probation Services supervision. The proceedings were reported on 12 October 2023.