80-year-old gambling addict transported drugs on bus to pay debt

By Fiona Ferguson

An elderly man with a gambling addiction told gardai that he was transporting drugs worth almost half a million euro from Donegal to Dublin by bus to pay his debts, a court has heard.

Peter Lam (80) told gardai who asked about his gambling: “When I sleep, I dream of Roulette.”

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Lam has a previous conviction in Letterkenny for cultivation and possession of cannabis in 2013 for which he received a three year suspended sentence.

Lam, of Lisburn Road, Belfast, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for sale or supply at Busaras, Dublin 1, on October 11, 2021.

Garda Kieran Stapleton told Emmet Nolan BL, prosecuting, that gardai in receipt of confidential information intercepted an elderly Asian male who arrived on a bus from Donegal to Busaras with two large boxes. He told gardai he did not know what was in the boxes.

Gda Stapleton said the boxes were found to contain MDMA valued at €470,982, hidden in pottery boxes and under children’s toys.

Lam told gardai he had an issue with gambling and owed money. He said he was to bring the boxes to a casino and people were to collect them outside.

Gda Stapleton agreed with Garnet Orange SC, defending, that Lam told gardai he dreamed of Roulette when trying to illustrate the dept of his gambling problem.

The garda told counsel there was nothing to his knowledge to suggest Lam was benefiting from the offending on a significant scale. Lam spent 10 months in custody on remand.

Mr Orange asked the court to take his client’s guilty plea into account as a significant mitigating factor. He submitted his role was that of a courier in this operation.

He handed in medical reports in relation to Lam’s health issues, including diabetes, asthma and mild to moderate mixed vascular dementia. He said Lam is taking drugs for this, which have slowed the progress of the dementia.

Counsel said he was not suggesting his client was at death’s door, but he had demonstrable health challenges which would mean difficulties for him.

Passing sentence on Monday, Judge Mary O’Malley Costello said it was important society was protected from this type of offending.

Judge O’Malley Costello said the court had to take into account Lam’s vulnerabilities, age and health conditions, but nevertheless he had pleaded guilty to a serious offence which has consequences on society and the victims who suffer as a result of the moving and dealing of drugs.

She said drug issues are to be found in every corner of the country, causing everyone to suffer as a result of the knock-on criminality that goes with the drugs trade. “It really is a scourge,” she said.

The judge said the offending must be punished by the court and there must also be a deterrence so others will not be as reckless as Lam was.

She noted there were people higher up the chain than Lam, but said his role as a courier made him an “important cog in the wheel.” She said it was not the first time he had come before the courts.

She took into account his co-operation, his guilty plea, his age, health, and lack of English.

Judge O’Malley Costello imposed a sentence of four years and suspended the final ten months. She said he should also be given credit for the ten months he has already spent in custody.