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"Smart but stupid' dealer caught with €26k in drugs avoids jail
Summary
Mark Foster (23) pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at his home on South Circular Road, Dublin, on 11 January 2017. Gardaí discovered cannabis, MDMA, cocaine and ketamine with a combined street value of €26,840, along with €7,385 in cash. Foster, from Cavan, immediately accepted responsibility to protect his housemates from questioning. The court heard he had since relocated to his native county to live with his parents, works on the family farm, remains drug-free and intends to pursue college education. Judge Martin Nolan described the operation as amateurish and noted Foster's youth and early intervention as mitigating factors. Despite the seriousness of the charges, the judge imposed a five-year prison sentence, suspended in full, citing Foster's co-operation, guilty plea, and low risk of re-offending.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: "Smart but stupid' dealer caught with €26k in drugs avoids jail. Charges or matters: possession of the drugs for sale or supply at his then home on Gilbert Road, South Circular Road, Dublin on January 11, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 11, 2017 Incident
- Christmas Other
- 2018-04-18 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possession of the drugs for sale or supply at his then home on Gilbert Road, South Circular Road, Dublin on January 11, 2017 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Foster to five years in prison which he suspended in full. He said Foster was young at the time and caught at a very early stage. "My instinct was to imprison him but I decided to think about it overnight and this has mellowed me somewhat," Judge Nolan said, before he added that Foster's co-operation and plea of guilty allowed him to depart from the mandatory 10 year sentence.
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
- Gilbert Road
- South Circular Road
Topics
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