Jailed for holding over €10k of cocaine

By Claire Henry

A man who told gardaí he was holding over €10k worth of cocaine to pay off his drug debt has been given a three-year suspended sentence.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday heard that at approximately midday on 7 November 2018, gardaí began a search of the home of Stephen Costello (46) on St James rd., Walkinstown, Dublin 12.

A woman and two children were home at the time of the search, Garda Michéal Muldoon told Katherine McGillicuddy, BL, prosecuting.

Gda Muldoon said that a bag of white powder in the rear garden was located under a large concrete slab.

A caravan parked on the property was searched, and weighing scales, plastic bags, and a knife with a white speckled substance were all seized.

The court heard that Costello arrived at the scene and admitted that he was holding the drugs for someone.

After his arrest Costello told gardai he was addicted to drugs and would spend €700 a week on drugs.

He said he had built up a drug debt of around €6,000, and the only way he could pay off his debt was to hold drugs.

The white substance was analysed and confirmed to be cocaine with a value of €10,899.

The court heard that Costello was unemployed at the time and carried out odd jobs to earn some money.

Costello pleaded guilty last March to the possession of drugs for sale or supply at St James rd., on November 7, 2018.

He has five previous convictions.

John J Griffin, BL, defending, told the court that his client has abided by all bail conditions and entered an early guilty plea.

Gardaí accepted that Costello was not involved in drug dealing at a high level and was holding the drugs to pay off his debt.

The court heard that a letter from Addiction Response Dublin was handed into court, which stated Costello has excellent attendance and is fully engaged with the programme.

Furthermore, the letter stated that all random urine tests had come back clean over the past twelve months.

Costello also undergoes daily breath tests with Addiction Response Dublin, which have been negative since 2019.

Judge Martin Nolan noted the early guilty plea, the full admission of guilt and the steps Costello has taken to rehabilitate himself as the mitigating factors.

Judge Nolan said the appropriate sentence for the accused is three years in prison, but he suspended it in full under the condition that he be of good behaviour and keep the peace for three years.