Stephen Lawlor jailed for four years for heroin possession

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

Stephen Lawlor (26), a father of two from Ard Mor Court, Tallaght, was jailed for four years for heroin possession.

He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing 630g of heroin. The offence occurred on 7 January 2014. The proceedings were reported on 6 March 2015.

Gardaí acting on confidential information searched his home and discovered a cache of heroin and ammunition valued at €94,500. Garda Robert Whitty told Marie Torrens BL, prosecuting, that he and colleagues also found several deals of cocaine and shotgun cartridges at the premises.

Stephen Lawlor claimed he was holding the drugs and ammunition to help pay off a €10,000 cocaine debt. He had 16 previous convictions for minor road traffic offences.

Garda Robert Whitty agreed with Giollaiosa Ó Lideadha SC, defending, that Stephen Lawlor had not come to adverse attention since the incident and had been in fear of third parties at the time. The barrister also submitted that his client had a history of depression and asked Judge Martin Nolan not to impose a custodial sentence.

Judge Martin Nolan accepted that Stephen Lawlor had been a victim of criminals, but said he “should have known better”.