By Isabel Hayes
An English teenage girl with no history of offending was caught bringing over half a million Euro worth of cannabis into the country last year, a court has heard.
Madison Jenkins (19) was just 18 years’ old when she was stopped at Dublin Airport and 15 packages of cannabis with a street value of €520,000 were found in her suitcase, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard last Friday (13th).
Jenkins, with an address in Waterdale Close, Liverpool, flew in from Bangkok via Abu Dhabi and was due to fly on to the UK when she was stopped by customs officers on May 14 last year.
She came forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on signed guilty pleas to possessing cannabis for sale or supply over the value of €13,000 under section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act.
It is an offence that carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
Jenkins also entered guilty pleas to three lesser drug charges. She has no previous convictions.
Garda Anthony Boyle told Grainne O’Neill BL, prosecuting, that Jenkins said she had been staying in an apartment in Bangkok for the week prior to her arrival in Dublin and that a lot of people were coming and going through this apartment.
She did not concede to gardaí that she was carrying the drugs for another person.
Jenkins has been in custody since she was arrested at the airport.
Her mother travelled from the UK to support her in court.
Garret McCormack SC, defending, handed in a letter to court from Jenkins which he said outlined “how she found herself in this situation”.
He said there was “pressure and features of duress” in the offence.
He said there was no evidence Jenkins received any money for her actions and that she had only a small quantity of English notes on her when she was arrested.
She comes from a difficult family background, with her father dying tragically when she was only four years’ old.
Her letter shows she is “contrite” and she is using her time well in custody, defence counsel said.
The court heard the prosecution required some time to look into the contents of Jenkins’ letter.
Judge Elma Sheahan put the matter back for finalisation on March 25.