Courts / Dublin / Report
Handyman said he was approached in dole queue about holding heroin
Summary
Colm Carroll, 54, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin for sale or supply at his Inchicore address. He claimed a man approached him in a dole queue at the post office and pressured him to hold over €20,000 worth of heroin. Carroll said he had been approached again a few days later and that the man would come to his apartment to take the drugs, but he received no payment. Gardaí searched his apartment in November, finding a safe containing over 144 g of heroin, a lightbulb with about €1,000 worth of heroin, and a digital scale. They also found €5,950 in his pockets, which he said came from a recent car sale. Judge Martin Nolan accepted Carroll's explanation, noted his past addiction and minor convictions, and imposed a three‑year sentence suspended in full. He ordered €3,000 of the cash forfeited and the remainder returned to Carroll.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Handyman said he was approached in dole queue about holding heroin. Charges or matters: possessing heroin for sale or supply at that address on November 16 last. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- November 16 Incident
- 1979 and 1991 Other
- 2018-10-18 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: possessing heroin for sale or supply at that address on November 16 last (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: Passing sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court today, Judge Martin Nolan said he accepted Carroll's explanation about a man coming up to him in the post office and pressuring him. He noted that while Carroll himself had become addicted to heroin initially as pain relief for serious burns, he had since dealt with his addiction. "Heroin is a serious painkiller and a very good painkiller; the problem is, it's very addictive," said Judge Nolan, imposing a three year sentence which he suspended in full.
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