Doctor of social studies jailed for possessing €285k of heroin

By Eimear Dodd

A man who completed a PhD in social studies has been jailed for three years and eight months for the possession of €285,000 worth of heroin.

Clive McCowan (45) told gardai he had built up a drugs debt of €30,000 and was under pressure to hold drugs, outlining that he’d done something similar a year previously.

McCowan, of Rossfield Court, Tallaght, Dublin 24, pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of drugs for sale or supply at Millrace Park, Saggart on June 6, 2024.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that gardai carried out a search of the property and found a quantity of heroin under a boiler on the ground floor and weighing scales.

Heroin was also found under a children’s swimming pool in the back garden, while cannabis and a further amount of heroin were found in another part of the garden.

McCowan also handed over a small amount of cocaine, roughly 8g with a value of €573.

Approximately 2kg of heroin was found in the property, with a value of €285,000, along with 147g of cannabis worth just over €2,950.

McCowan took full ownership when asked about the drugs.

He later told gardai during interview that he’d received the drugs two weeks earlier and had been asked to cut off a section of the diamorphine, which was found on the ground floor.

He said he cut off a section after being told to do so and didn’t receive any money, just handed it over.

He said he’d done it a year ago, after building up a drugs debt of €15,000.

McCowan said his debt had increased to €30,000 and he had been threatened by phone and text, but had deleted all the messages.

McCowan has eight previous convictions including road traffic offences and one for robbery, dating back to 2002.

He was co-operative with the investigation, made full admissions and took responsibility.

The investigating garda agreed with defence counsel that his client indicated during the search that he was glad gardai had come to the house.

It was further accepted that there was a background of drugs debt and an element of fear in this case.

McCowan started to use drugs at an early age and was drug-free between 2005 and 2017.

During this time, he returned to adult education and completed a PhD in social studies.

Defence counsel told the court his client relapsed into drugs use following the deaths of two family members.

McCowan has since completed a residential treatment programme and is working.

Judge Martin Nolan said a “considerable amount of drugs” were found, but said the court considered McCowan to be at the lower end of the drug-dealing operation.

He noted it “seemed this was the second occasion” McCowan had performed this task for third parties, adding that McCowan had a drugs problem at the time and was under pressure due to a drugs debt.

The judge noted the “substantial mitigation” and said the court had to take into account that this was McCowan’s “second incursion into this type of behaviour”.

He imposed a sentence of four years, but reduced it by four months to reflect McCowan’s time in residential treatment.