A MAN who previously served nine years for the attempted murder of a garda has been jailed for 12 years by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for having almost £500,000 worth of cannabis.
John Doran (43), of Blackditch Road, Ballyfermot, Dublin, pleaded guilty to having 49.2 kg of cannabis for sale or supply in Castleknock on November 28th, 1994. Judge Kieran O'Connor said he considered cannabis to be an introductory drug and not any less evil than others.
The court was told the cache was in two hold all bags in a car driven by Doran. When gardai asked him whose cannabis it was, Doran replied "You know who the f... owns it".
Mr Patrick Gageby SC, defending, said Doran was not one of the "shadowy figures" near the top of the drugs supplying tree. He was caught carrying the cannabis in his car. Mr Gregory Murphy SC, prosecuting, said. "He has not divulged at any time who the `shadowy figure' involved was."
Judge O'Connor said Doran had served nine years of a 12 year sentence imposed in 1981 for the attempted murder of a garda after a £100,000 armed robbery. He seemed to have learned little from that long prison term.
The judge suspended the final five years to give Doran "some light at the end of the tunnel".
Det Sgt Jeremiah Healy said Doran had been spotted by Garda Tom O'Connor driving an English registered white Toyota car. Two unmarked Garda cars followed him on to the M50 and, alerted other gardai.
Doran tried to do a U-turn on the motorway when stopped but was thwarted by wire in the centre island. The two hold all bags were visible in the car to Doran and his passenger, Mr David Lindsay.
Det Sgt Healy said Doran had almost £2,000 cash when arrested. There was sufficient cannabis to make 477,718 "joints" with a street value of almost £500,000.
Doran has 15 previous convictions, is unemployed and married with three children. He lived in a Dublin Corporation house and had been in custody since December when his bail was revoked.
A concurrent, six year sentence was also imposed for having 116 grams of cannabis worth about £1,000 at his home on November 6th, 1992.
A nolle prosequi was entered, earlier this week in respect of two charges against Mr Lindsay (25) of Seacliffe Drive, Dublin, arising, from this seizure. He had pleaded not guilty to possession of the cannabis for supply and to possession of it.
Judge O'Connor discharged him but rejected an application by Mr Brendan Groan SC for a verdict of not guilty.