A Dublin boy (17) has been received a seven year sentence after being found in possession of heroin worth €150,000.
The boy pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the drugs for sale or supply at his guardian’s home on December 9th, 2007. He had 19 previous convictions for a range of offences including public order and assault.
Garda John Griffin told the court the drugs were found in the teenager’s bedroom which he shared with his uncle and he admitted to gardai that they belonged to him.
Garda Griffin agreed with defence counsel Giollaíosa Ó Lideadha that the boy’s life “would have been at risk” had he identified the source of the drugs.
Mr Ó Lideadha told the court his client was under his grandaunt’s care after his father had to be hospitalised following an accident and his mother had “her own difficulties to deal with”.
He said that the teenager was a drug user at the time and that he appeared he had “been under instruction” in this offence and was to receive a small amount of money for his involvement.
Judge Patrick McCartan said that heroin was "a very damaging drug that caused havoc in society and provided a lot of money to people, unlike this boy, but higher up than him". He accepted that he was involved to pay off a "small debt" and he was under "the control of sinister people".
Judge McCartan said that the teenager was living in "a chaotic situation" and was likely to get in further trouble "with devastating consequences for him".
"He is someone in need of structure, support and discipline" before he added that he was going to suspend the last four years of the sentence "to give him some hope for the future".