Courts / Dublin / Report

Jail for dad who stored drugs when dealers threatened to kill daughter

Date
2019-02-01
Stage
Sentence
Primary locality
Dublin
County
Dublin

Summary

Brendan Heaney, 51, was sentenced to 16 months in prison after a Garda search of his Kimmage home uncovered a large quantity of drugs, including 395 g of heroin and various prescription tablets. He admitted to storing and supplying these drugs for a Finglas-based gang after his daughter, a recovering crack cocaine addict, was threatened by dealers who said they would kill her. Heaney claimed he was forced into the activity to protect his daughter, who had accrued €26,000 in debt to the gang and had been threatened with violence. He had previously received a five‑year sentence in the UK for drug possession. Judge Martin Nolan, acknowledging Heaney's circumstances and his lack of profit from the operation, reduced the mandatory minimum of ten years to a 16‑month custodial term. The sentence was deferred until early this year at the request of his defence counsel. Brendan Heaney pleaded guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jail for dad who stored drugs when dealers threatened to kill daughter. Charges or matters: possession of drugs for sale or supply at his home on April 4, 2017. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

Why: He accepted that Heaney was forced into the crime because of his daughter's "predicament". CNI source report

Case subjects

Brendan Heaney

Convicted Person

Charges: possession of drugs for sale or supply at his home on April 4, 2017 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: Credit: Collins) A father-of-two who stored over €153,000 of drugs when dealers threatened to kill his daughter has been jailed for 16 months. The judge said he could depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years for drugs offences of this kind and imposed 16 months in prison.

Places mentioned

Secondary Mention
Residence
  • Larkfield Gardens
Court Venue
  • Dublin
  • Dublin Circuit Criminal Court

Topics

Drugs Stage Sentence Violent Crime

Related court reports

Read the original CNI report

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