Patrick Kelly jailed for three years after importing cannabis

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

Patrick Kelly was jailed for three years at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, with the sentence backdated to when he first went into custody. He pleaded guilty to importing cannabis at Dublin Airport and admitted having cannabis for sale or supply, both on January 12, 2025. The proceedings were reported on July 2, 2025.

Customs officers stopped Kelly, 63, at Dublin Airport in January 2025. His luggage contained just under 20kg of cannabis, estimated to be worth €398,680. Judge Orla Crowe described the quantity as considerable and said Kelly had taken significant personal risks.

Kelly said he had been offered money to take a suitcase from Thailand to Dublin by someone who knew of his financial situation. Gardaí accepted that he had been exploited. Judge Crowe acknowledged his financial difficulties but said he had become involved for financial gain.