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Jail for repeat drug offender who "abused" chances given to him by courts
Summary
Daniel O'Neill, a 21‑year‑old Dublin father, was sentenced to three and a half years' imprisonment after a series of drug‑related offences. He had previously received a five‑year suspended sentence in 2014 for possessing over €100,000 of heroin for sale or supply while still a teenager. The suspended sentence was not activated, but O'Neill was later caught with €1,320 of heroin in the city centre and again with almost €2,400 of heroin and €45 of cannabis during a search of one of his addresses in March 2016. He pleaded guilty to possessing €1,320 of heroin on 5 November 2015 and to possessing heroin and cannabis on 26 March 2016. The judge, noting his young age and some evidence of reform, imposed 18 months for the Dolphin House offence and two years for the November 2015 possession, to run consecutively, resulting in a total custodial term of three and a half years.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Jail for repeat drug offender who "abused" chances given to him by courts. Charges or matters: possessing €1,320 of heroin at Ormond Quay, Dublin, on November 5, 2015; possessing heroin and cannabis at Dolphin House, Dublin on March 26, 2016; possessing heroin worth €105,598 for sale or supply at various locations in Dublin 8 on March 5, 2013. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- March 2016 Other
- November 5, 2015 Incident
- March 26, 2016 Incident
- March 5, 2013 Incident
- 2017-07-25 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possessing €1,320 of heroin at Ormond Quay, Dublin, on November 5, 2015; possessing heroin and cannabis at Dolphin House, Dublin on March 26, 2016; possessing heroin worth €105,598 for sale or supply at various locations in Dublin 8 on March 5, 2013 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: This 2014 Dublin Circuit Criminal Court sentence was suspended in full for five years, but about 12 months later, a plain-clothes garda caught O'Neill in the city centre with €1,320 of heroin. He did not activate O'Neill's suspended sentence saying: "Five years is somewhat excessive even though he's abused his chances".
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