Louth drug dealer no longer under influence of ‘the dark side’ jailed for two years
A garda has said that a man caught with €10,000 cannabis was no longer under the influence of the "dark side of drug dealing".
The officer said that Lee Riley (36) was compliant and forthcoming during the investigation. He didn't hang around with people who remained Garda targets.
The defendant, of Rathmullen Park, Drogheda, was selling drugs because of his addiction and a debt. He pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply.
At an adjourned sentence hearing he was jailed for two years after Judge Dara Hayes remarked that the steps taken in rehabilitation were less substantial than presented to the court.
Last January evidence was given that on May 13, 2025, Gardaí found 57 filled deal bags and a weighing scale in a sitting room in his house. The 525.7g cannabis was valued €10,200.
Mr Riley had opened the door to the search party. The residence had one other occupant at the time.
The accused took ownertship of the drugs and told investigators that he was dealing as a result of his addiction and a drugs debt which he had reduced to €500 from approximately €10,000.
Cannabis had affected his life for 23 years. He expressed a wish to get off it. He held his hands up at the first opportunity.
He worked part-time in a facility which has saunas and plunge pools.
There were two previous Section 3 drugs convictions and one for public order.
Barrister Stephen Faulkner said that Mr Riley was "a number of degrees removed from Garda targets".
He resided at home, cared for his mother and ran a course for staff at The Red Door Project. His partner of five years was present in court.
Mr Faulkner continued that his client had stopped taking cannabis. His doctor had advised him the best way was to wean off it gradually.
He did not have urinalysis but was willing to get it.
Judge Hayes said that this was a very significant quantity of drugs and “not a million miles away” from Section 15 (a) (a value of €13,000 or more).
A probation report spoke of long-term addiction issues and a “somewhat laissez-faire” attitude to drugs which he was not entitled to have.
Mr Riley was remanded on the same bail terms to May 5 for five urinalysis reports.
On the adjourned date, Mr Faulkner said that there were five clean urines covering the previous two to three weeks.
Judge Hayes said that what the court directed was to show a pattern of a sustained degree of abstinence.
Counsel replied that his client instructed that he had been attending Narcotics Anonymous for the last two months and has “changed his view”. He has an insight. He was deeply remorseful.
A HSE addiction counsellor had been trying to deal with him remotely and he became “frustrated” with the process.
The judge said he was entitled to feel frustrated but not entitled to be abusive (to the counsellor).
Passing sentence, Judge Hayes said that the urinalysis showed the defendant was clean for recent weeks but not for an extended period.
He was assessed at medium risk of re-offending by the Probation Service who no longer felt able to recommend their further involvement.
Mr Riley co-operated with the investigation and expressed remorse, but the steps taken were less substantial than presented to the court, the judge added.
A three-year sentence was imposed, the final 12 months suspended.