Cabra man jailed for drug possession

By Eimear Dodd

A man found in possession of €46,000 of cocaine and cannabis has been jailed for two years and six months.

Daniel Buckley (32) of Ventry Park, Cabra, Dublin 7 pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at the same address.

Buckley received a three-year sentence with the final six months suspended on strict conditions at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Garda Sean Halpin told Aideen Collard BL, prosecuting, that gardai carried out a search on April 21, 2024.

Buckley was living in a cabin at the back of property and gardai saw him throwing a gym bag over a wall. This bag was later retrieved, with the majority of the drugs found inside.

Three packages of cannabis, valued at €16,279 and 429g of cocaine worth €30,079, were found.

The total value of the drugs was €46,358.  €1,710 cash was also seized during a search of the cabin.

Buckley told gardai at the scene that he knew there were drugs in the bag, but he did not know their value. He said he was holding the bag and the cash as he had a drugs debt.

When interviewed, Buckley outlined his addiction issues and said he had a drugs debt of €10,000, which was to be reduced as he was holding the bag.

He told gardai he had been holding the drugs for two weeks and people would come and take portions from the bag.

No other paraphernalia or trappings of wealth were found.

Buckley has previous convictions including for theft and drugs offence.

Mark Lynam SC, defending, told the court his client has longstanding addiction issues and attended residential treatment in 2018, but did not fully get a handle on his addiction at this point.

Counsel said Buckley built up a drugs debt as a result of his own addiction issues.

A number of letters were handed to the court, outlining Buckley’s engagement with addiction services, his voluntary work and from his partner. Buckley also wrote a letter of apology to the court.

Buckley has recently completed a trial period of employment and has an offer of permanent work, the court heard.

Mr Lynam asked the court to structure a sentence to allow for his client’s rehabilitation and re-integration into society.

Judge Orla Crowe noted “the calamitous effect that drugs have on society”, adding that the “wreckage and harm it causes” is seen by the court on a daily basis.

She said Buckley was “trusted sufficiently” to hold cash, and two types of drugs were found.

The judge said the court had considered Buckley’s personal circumstances, his guilty plea and efforts to address his addiction.

Judge Crowe suspended the final six months of the three-year sentence for two years.

She also directed Buckley to place himself under the supervision of the Probation Service for 12 months post-release to assist with his continued rehabilitation from drugs and “vocational re-integration into society”.