By Eimear Dodd and Sonya McLean
A man found with €100,000 of cocaine admitted he was selling the drug to repay a gambling debt in the hundreds of thousands, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Craig Harris (34) came forward from the District Court on signed pleas to possession of cocaine for sale or supply on November 8, 2024.
Harris, of Hamptonwood Drive, Finglas, received a five-year sentence from Judge Pauline Codd in July 2023 with four years suspended for possession of €43,000 of cocaine for sale or supply in 2021.
When gardai searched his home, a pipe bomb was found near Harris’s car, the court heard.
John Byrne SC, defending, said it was “regrettable” that this offence was carried out following his client’s release from prison while he was still serving the suspended portion of the sentence imposed in 2023.
He said his client was under pressure due to his significant debt and is embarrassed by his offending.
Today, Harris was sentenced to 10 years in prison with the final two years suspended.
Judge Pauline Codd accepted evidence that Harris “owed money to other sinister parties”.
She acknowledged that the father of three fully co-operated with the garda investigation and expressed remorse and shame for his involvement in the offence.
Judge Codd accepted that Harris’s gambling addiction was the root cause of the offending but she said that “in no way justifies the lengths he went to in order to support that habit”.
“He has exposed his family to the loss of a father and has exposed everyone else around him to the dangers associated with drugs – he did this in order to support his own gambling addiction,” Judge Codd said.
She accepted that a report from the Probation Service concluded that Harris is at a moderate risk of re-offending and has shown insight into the harm caused by drugs in society.
Judge Codd made no order in relation to an application to re-activate the previously partly suspended sentence imposed in July 2023.
Earlier, Garda Kevin Fenton told John Moher BL, prosecuting, that Harris’s home was searched and cocaine was found in two shopping bags in a wardrobe.
Two deals of cocaine and €170 was found on Harris, while €1,850 cash was found on a couch. In total, 1.43kg of cocaine, valued at €101,000 was found during the search.
Harris was interviewed under caution at the scene. He took ownership of the drugs and cash, signing the garda notebook.
He was arrested and when interviewed, said he had the cocaine for sale and supply.
He told gardai that he had a debt of a “few hundred thousand” after he relapsed into gambling.
He said he was let go from work around the time of his relapse and that he was selling cocaine to repay his debt.
Harris has 12 previous convictions, including nine for road traffic offences and three for drugs.
He has been in custody since his arrest in November 2024.
Gda Fenton agreed with Mr Byrne that his client made immediate admissions and said his partner wasn’t aware.
It was further accepted that Harris admitted he was selling cocaine as he was under pressure due to his debt.
Gda Fenton agreed that a pipe bomb was found near his car during the search and accepted Mr Byrne’s suggestion that “other sinister parties” put it there to put pressure on his client.
Harris also told gardai that he was experiencing mental health difficulties and was trying to keep his gambling addiction secret from his partner at the time.
Mr Byrne said his client is “somewhat embarrassed” to be before Judge Codd again, as the court had “extended a considerable degree of leniency to him on the last occasion”.
He said his client’s explanation on the previous occasion was similar in that he owned a large amount of money due to his gambling addiction.
Mr Byrne asked the court to accept that his client gave an honest explanation to gardai and they are satisfied that the pipe bomb was “a very serious attempt to intimidate and put pressure on him in relation to money owed”.
He said his client suffers with depression linked to his gambling addiction, but has no addictions to illicit substances.
He has a good work history.
Mr Byrne said Harris is aware he will receive a significant custodial sentence and intends to use that time to address his difficulties.