Chef caught with €400,000 of cannabis at airport jailed for 2 years

By Eimear Dodd

A chef caught with €400,000 of cannabis at Dublin Airport has been jailed for two years.

James Fuery (32) of Brookview Grove, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis for sale or supply on September 25 last year.

He has eight previous convictions at the District Court for road traffic, theft and public order offences.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard evidence that customs officers at Dublin Airport stopped Fuery, who had arrived on a flight from Ibiza, after a drugs detection dog showed interest in the suitcase he was carrying.

€404,520 of cannabis, weighing slightly less than 22.5kg, was found in 45 vacuum-sealed packets in this suitcase.

Fuery was co-operative and identified the suitcase as the one he’d brought to the airport. He told gardai that this was the first time he had brought drugs into the country.

Fuery outlined to gardai his difficulties with cocaine and cannabis, and how he had relapsed into addiction.

He said he built up a drug debt of €15,000 and was under pressure.

Imposing sentence today, Judge Elma Sheahan said this was a serious offence because of the damage the illegal drugs trade brings to our society day in and day out.

She noted that Fuery was at the low end of the scale in this enterprise.

She noted the 10-year mandatory minimum sentence applicable to this offence but said that with the early plea and circumstances of the case, the court could depart from that.

Judge Sheahan took into account testimonials handed into court and that Fuery has the support of a pro-social family. She also noted the efforts he has made towards rehabilitation.

She set a headline sentence of four and a half years, before setting a three-year term and suspending the final 12 months on strict conditions, including that he avail of drug treatment.

The investigating garda agreed with Gerardine Small SC, defending, that her client was co-operative, entered an early guilty plea and has no previous convictions for drug offences.

It was further accepted that Fuery told gardai that he realised bringing the suitcase was wrong and that he was scared.

The garda agreed that Fuery said he was told that he had to have the money in 24 hours or go and get the suitcase and was apologetic.

It was also accepted that Fuery had no proprietary interest in the drugs and had no trappings of wealth.

Ms Small told the court her client had previously experienced homelessness due to his addiction issues and underwent rehabilitation.

Fuery later relapsed into addiction and had built up a debt when he was asked to take this suitcase.

Counsel said Fuery was genuinely concerned for himself and his family

A number of references were handed in, and members of Fuery’s family were in court to support him.

Fuery has a good work history and is working as a chef while in custody. A governor’s report was handed to the court.

Ms Small asked the court to take into account her client’s early guilty plea, noting that his previous convictions are of a different nature, and to show as much leniency as possible for her client.