Judge warns youth about the dangers of getting sucked into the drugs trade

A judge has warned young people of the dangers of getting sucked into the drugs trade.

Judge Kevin Kilrane made the remarks after dealing with a 19- year- old student who admitted a charge of possessing cocaine for the purpose of sale or supply on January 10th 2016 following his detention and a search at Sligo Garda Station.

Judge Kilrane told Robert Fallon of Heather View, Sligo that the “quasi innocent are sucked into the illicit trade.”

They may be asked initially to hold a parcel and while they may not be told what’s in it they know it’s not legitimate or they could be required to drive someone from A to B, said the Judge.

“Once in the circle you cannot get out and then there are threats issued to them and their families and then violence is visited upon them,” said Judge Kilrane.

At the outset of the case, Mr Gerard McGovern, solicitor ( defending), handed in three testimonials on behalf of the defendant who was stopped by Gardaí on mobile patrol at 11.15pm after two men were seen acting suspiciously.

They were taken to Sligo Garda Station and searched. Cocaine worth € 500 along with a weighing scales were found on the defendant.

Mr McGovern said the defendant hadn’t come to the notice of Gardaí before. His mother had passed away when he was 12 and his father had done an excellent job in bringing him up. Mr McGovern said it was as a result of another relationship close to the family which resulted in the defendant coming into contact with another man and “a business he shouldn’t have.”

Mr McGovern said the defendant was used to carry and cocaine and the scales, that he “was a mule.”

“This other man was with the defendant on the night but he was clean as a whistlewhen he was searched,” said Mr McGovern.

He added that the defendant was in the middle of a four year degree course at college where he was studying mechanical engineering and that he would go far in education.

He pleaded with the judge not to impose a conviction saying Fallon would go nowhere with a drugs conviction.

Gardaí have kept an eye on the defendant since and they had assured him he was no longer involved, said Mr McGovern. “He was used and duped into this. Unfortunately, he did use the drug but he is not addicted,” added Mr McGovern.

Judge Kilrane said the tesimonials which had been handed in were very impressive.

He was prepared to give the defendant a chance but it would be on terms. He wanted the defendant to engage in five hours a week of voluntary work with a charity for 40 weeks. The case was adjourned to June 28th 2018. The Judge told the defendant it was fortunate he had been stopped in his tracks at an early stage and before he got dragged into further criminal behaviour.