Former Irish youth soccer star caught with €200k drugs jailed for 21/2 years
A FORMER Irish international youth soccer player has been jailed for two and a half years after he was caught transporting almost €200,000 worth of cannabis.
Robert Bayly, 30, was described by his barrister as “a child prodigy” who fell into gambling when he moved to Leeds United as a 14-year-old.
Dominic Mcginn told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that his client’s betting continued into adulthood and he ultimately agreed to transport the drugs to pay a €6,500 debt.
Bayly admitted possession of the drugs for sale or supply at Cherry Orchard Drive, Ballyfermot, West Dublin, on May 12, 2017.
Bayly, who also played for Shamrock Rovers and Drogheda United, has no previous convictions.
Garda Neil Mcgrath told prosecutor Antonia Boyle that officers stopped the Nissan Almera Bayly was driving and noticed a “very strong smell of cannabis”.
He admitted there was “weed in the boot” before gardai discovered 10 packages of cannabis which had an estimated street value of €194,284. In Garda interview Bayly, of Cedarbrook Way, Ballyfermot, Dublin, said he agreed to transport the drugs so a gambling debt of €6,500 would be reduced.
He said he was in fear for his life and that of his daughter and girlfriend.
Gda Mcgrath told Mr Mcginn that officers accepted he gave “a truthful account” of his role.
He agreed Bayly was extremely mannerly, co-operative and “the smallest cog in the wheel”.
Gda Mcgrath said: “I got the impression he didn’t fully understand what was happening.” He told gardai in interview he was glad
DUBLIN DISTRICT COURT
he was caught because it meant “a huge amount of drugs wouldn’t make it onto the street”.
Mr Mcginn told Judge Martin Nolan that Bayly had a “huge amount of contact” with the older players in the three years he spent in Leeds, which was where he was introduced to gambling. While the lawyer said his client was “earning decent money as a footballer” he has no real assets. He said Bayly completed all but one week of a 12-week rehabilitative programme but left when offered a contract with Drogheda United. Counsel said he relapsed following the death of his grandmother and began to build up debt.
He said he was under threat and at one point showed up for a match having been badly assaulted the night before.
Mr Mcginn submitted to the court his client fell into a “totally different category” to other people charged with the same offence. He said Bayly had been “born with a gift” and outlined some of his achievements which including playing against Serie A giants Juventus while playing for Shamrock Rovers.
Counsel handed in a number of testimonials and said Bayly was instrumental in helping soccer club Bluebell United set up a schoolboy academy.
He said he comes from a supportive family, is in a stable relationship and has a five-year-old daughter.
Mr Mcginn added it would be “a tragic waste of my client’s abilities” if he were sent to jail.
Judge Nolan accepted threats had been made against the accused and he felt forced to co-operate but he added he was an adult when he committed the offence.
Before sending him down, Judge Nolan said: “He made a gross misjudgement. He should not have succumbed to those pressures.”
He added he had noticed many people who were caught with drugs in a similar manner to Bayly who had no previous convictions before he added he believed this was the reason they were “picked” to transport the consignment.
I got the impression he didn’t understand what was going on GARDA NEIL MCGRATH