Dad acted as lookout while others “cut” cocaine

Brion Hoban

A father-of-two acted as a lookout while others “cut” cocaine worth almost €70,000, a court has heard.

Karl Fields (26) became involved in the operation due to having a drug debt of approximately €28,000.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that both of the accused’s parents died of drug overdoses and that he was placed in State care at age 13.

Fields of Sandyhill Gardens, Ballymun, Dublin pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine in excess of €13,000 for sale or supply at Abbotstown Avenue, Finglas, on January 3, 2018.

Garda David Moran told Diana Stuart BL, prosecuting, that on the date in question, gardaí obtained a search warrant for the address in Finglas and attended at the house.

Gda Moran said that four men were in the kitchen of this house when gardaí arrived, but two of these men escaped out the back of the house and have not been apprehended. Fields and his co-accused were arrested in the kitchen.

In the kitchen gardaí found numerous large bowls full of white powder, a blender, a hydraulic press, several weighing scales and a number of mobile phones.

The total value of all cocaine discovered at the scene was €69,074.

In interview with gardaí, Fields said he had a drug debt of approximately €28,000. He said his role was to act as a lookout while others “cut” the cocaine inside the house.

Fields has 173 previous convictions, including convictions for possession of drugs for sale or supply, theft, possession of knives, road traffic offences and public order offences.

The court heard that the co-accused in this case received a four year sentence of imprisonment with the final two years suspended when his case was before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court earlier this month.

Gda Moran agreed with Michael Bowman SC, defending, that his client’s personal circumstances were as bad as he had come across as a garda. He agreed that both of the accused’s parents died of drug overdoses and that he was placed in care by his grandparents when he was aged 13.

The garda agreed that drug debts are really used to get young persons who are “highly vulnerable” to do the bidding of criminals. He agreed that Fields was in fear of the people who had involved him in this offending.

Mr Bowman said his client has two children and that his partner is currently pregnant with their third child.

Judge Karen O’Connor had intended to order a probation report and adjourn the matter for several months, but Fields requested that the matter be dealt with as quickly as possible.

Judge O’Connor remanded Fields in custody and adjourned the matter for finalisation to Friday.