Man who sold heroin from his mother’s home is jailed

A man who sold heroin from his mother’s home has been jailed for five years.

Maurice Walsh (31) had previously served five years of a seven and a half year sentence for a similar offence.

Walsh, with an address at 32 North Circular Road, Dublin 7, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having €22,820 worth of heroin in his possession for sale or supply at Watkins Square, Dublin 8, on August 20th, 2018. He has five previous convictions.

Garda Mark Eccles told Kieran Kelly BL, prosecuting, that on the date in question, gardaí were carrying out a surveillance operation at the Watkins Square property, on foot of securing a search warrant.

Over the course of one hour – between 11am and 12pm – gardaí observed two men entering and leaving the property on separate occasions, before the accused man was seen leaving the house.

The court heard that gardaí intercepted the defendant at this point and proceeded to search the property.

The search resulted in the procurement of approximately €22,820 worth of heroin, kept in various locations in the house.

€10,000 in cash was found in the bedroom of the accused’s mother, but Walsh denied this was his.

Dominic McGinn SC, defending, told the court of his client’s difficulties, noting that his life had been “blighted” by drug addiction since his teenage years.

The court also heard that Walsh had previously been shot in the leg because of a drug debt and that his mother’s home showed “no trappings of wealth” when inspected by gardaí.

Gda Eccles agreed with Mr McGinn that the property at Watkins Square was subsequently destroyed as retribution for Walsh’s debts, with windows smashed, furniture removed, and plasterboard pulled off walls.

Judge Pauline Codd noted that the accused man’s mother, who is seriously ill, “has suffered hugely” as a result of his addiction issues.

Judge Codd said that the matter before the court was Walsh’s second time committing an offence of this nature, which was a “significant aggravating factor”.

Considering mitigation, Judge Codd noted Walsh’s “chronic addiction” and early guilty plea.

She imposed a sentence of eight years, with the final three suspended, on the condition that Walsh attends a residential drug rehabilitation programme on his release.