Man was ‘pressured to sell drugs’

A man who was in possession of powder and tablets was being pressurised by people to sell drugs, but refused, Bray District Court heard last Thursday.

Derek O’Callaghan (62), 5 Seaview, Kilcoole, was holding the items for somebody else, his solicitor Joe Maguire said.

O’Callaghan’s home was searched on February 3, 2017, at 10.50 a.m.

Drugs were found to the value of €392. The court heard that the items were left at O’Callaghan’s house the previous evening. He didn’t ask for them and was going to return them, but he did take responsibility for them.

The court heard that O’Callaghan lost his business and home in the recession and was living in rented accommodation.

He had been subjected to a number of assaults as a result of his failure to cooperate with certain people.

In an effort to hold on to his house, the court heard, O’Callaghan had sold tranquillisers and was then put under pressure to sell other items.

Judge Owens handed down sentences of four months for each count, suspended for a period of 12 months.