THE brother of a man jailed for trying unsuccessfully to flush almost £40,000 worth of a major drug dealer's ecstasy down a toilet was given back £5,000 following a court decision yesterday.
The money had been lodged by Mr Paul May as bail for his brother, Robert May, after he was charged with having the ecstasy and obstructing gardai during a search on September 13th, 1994. Judge Cyril Kelly yesterday granted an order in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court for the return of the money.
The bail was held by the court when May (27), of the South Circular Road, Dublin, failed to attend court last May. However, a month later, he pleaded guilty to the obstruction charge and has now completed his six-month sentence.
Mr Luigi Rea, defending, said Mr Paul May had lodged the £5,000 which had been fixed by the High Court on the basis that his brother, Robert, faced the more serious possession charge.
Mr Rea said Robert May had a doctor's note for the trial date certifying he had a septic throat. His brother had turned up in court to explain this and attempts had been made to notify gardai.