Man sentenced after €400,000 of drugs found in apartment

By Natasha Reid and Eimear Dodd

 A 38-year-old man has been sentenced to 13 years for possession of €400,000 of drugs at an apartment in Dublin city.

When he was caught, Carl Armstrong was halfway through a suspended portion of a 10-year sentence for a similar offence. The judge also revoked the suspension of those three years on Thursday.

Armstrong, with an address at Emmet Crescent, Inchiore, in Dublin, was before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, charged with possession of cocaine and diamorphine for sale or supply on December 18 2022.

He had pleaded guilty to carrying out the offence at The Old Distillery, Anne Street North.

 He was also before the court for breaching the terms of the suspension of three years of a 10-sentence for another possession charge. That sentence was imposed in 2016.

The court heard that Armstrong had been released from the custodial portion of that sentence 18 months before this offence, and Judge Patricia Ryan immediately reactivated the suspended sentence.

She noted that in the December 2022 crime, Armstrong was in his co-accused’s home when gardai searched it. Drugs and cash were found on a table, along with a mechanical press, tick list and weighing scales.

Armstrong’s vehicle was then searched. Heroin, cocaine and a quantity of live ammunition were found, and he was arrested.

Judge Ryan explained that Armstrong’s co-accused had entered an early guilty plea and received a seven-year sentence. However, his background was different.

She said Armstrong’s mitigating factors included his plea, remorse and rehabilitation efforts. She also acknowledged a psychologist’s report, which highlighted issues from his childhood and ongoing difficulties he has with relationships.

However, she added that his plea had not been early and that he had carried out this offence just 18 months after his release.

She also said that it was clear from thoroughly reading the psychologist’s report that he had engaged in the offence for financial gain.

“He said there was pressure put on him by his family to have finances available,” she said.

She imposed a 13-year sentence and suspended the final three years on several conditions.

She said that she was not minded to review the sentence at a later date.

“I’m not of the view that his drug issues were part of his motivation,” she said.

She backdated the sentence to when he went into custody on the day of the search and explained that the three-year reactivation would run concurrently.