Special needs assistant attempted to ‘double money’ with drug selling

By Brion Hoban

A special needs assistant purchased cocaine in order to sell it on to “locals” and double his money, a court has heard.

Kenneth Lynch (32) was caught in possession of more than €4,000 of cocaine and €10,000 in cash in the home he shared with his partner and children.

Lynch with an address at Moorefield Lawns, Clondalkin, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cocaine for sale or supply at his address on August 23, 2018. He has 11 previous convictions for road traffic offences.

Detective Garda Jerome Toomey told Eoghan Cole BL, prosecuting, that on the date in question, Lynch was a target of surveillance and a search warrant was obtained for his house which he lived in with his partner and children.

Det Gda Toomey said gardaí stopped Lynch while he was out and asked him if there was anything illegal in his house. Lynch replied that there was a small quantity of cocaine and a sum of money in a safe.

Gardaí searched the house and discovered cocaine with a total value of €4,816. They also discovered €10,400 in cash in a safe in the accused’s bedroom.

In interview with gardaí, Lynch said he had paid €1,500 for the cocaine and his intention was to sell the drugs with the expectation of doubling his money. He said he was doing this for a year and a half prior to his arrest and was selling to “locals”.

Lynch told gardaí that the cash had come from some people who owed him money or had lent him money and some of it was “savings”. He said he would now owe people for the loss of the drugs, that he was in fear of these people and had been threatened by them before.

Judge Pauline Codd said this was “a very nefarious trade” no matter how someone becomes involved in it. She ordered a report from the Probation Service and adjourned the matter for finalisation on May 6, next.

Det Gda Toomey agreed with Kevin White BL, defending, that his client admitted he had the drugs for the purpose of selling them. He agreed that confidential information received by gardaí had indicated that drugs were being stored at Lynch’s address.

Mr White said his client set up a route for delivering newspapers after leaving school. Counsel said Lynch later qualified as a special needs assistant and was working as such at the time of the offence.

Counsel said his client’s sister and her partner died and that their children rely on his client and his siblings for support.

Mr White said his client is deeply remorseful for what he has done and gave “greater information” to gardaí than what they believed. He said his client has never before asked the court for a second chance and was asking the court to give him one now.