Courts / Dublin / Report
Chinese national has jail term cut over cannabis package
Summary
Peng Fei He, a 34‑year‑old Chinese national living on Little Mary Street, Dublin, pleaded guilty in November 2015 to possessing more than €140,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply. He had ordered and accepted two DHL packages from Spain, each containing just over 7 kg of cannabis, and had placed one in the boot of his car before being stopped by Gardaí. He admitted ordering the parcels, knowing their contents, and cited gambling debts of €4,000–€5,000. He denied that money was being sent to China in his name, a claim unsupported by evidence. In October 2016, Judge Pauline Codd sentenced him to eight years' imprisonment, suspending the final two years. On appeal, the Court of Appeal, led by Mr Justice John Hedigan, held that the headline sentence of 12 years was too severe and reduced it to nine years.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Chinese national has jail term cut over cannabis package. Charges or matters: possessing over €140,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply in the capital on November 13, 2015. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- November 13, 2015 Incident
- October 5, 2016 Incident
- 2017-11-30 Publication
Case subjects
Appellant
Charges: possessing over €140,000 worth of cannabis for sale or supply in the capital on November 13, 2015 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: He was sentenced at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to eight years imprisonment with the final two suspended by Judge Pauline Codd on October 5, 2016. He said the Court of Appeal agreed with the sentencing judge's analysis save only for the chosen headline sentence of 12 years which, the court held, should have been nine.
Places mentioned
- Little Mary Street
- Dublin
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- Blackhorse Avenue
Topics
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