‘Vikings’ actor avoids jail sentence for holding drugs

A marketing manager turned actor has received a five-year suspended sentence for possessing cannabis and tablets worth €124,000.

Anthony Seery (35), who appeared in the television programme Vikings, agreed to hold the drugs after a friend suggested it might help pay off his €28,000 gambling debts and mortgage arrears.

A colleague found the drugs in a sports bag and cupboards in the store room at Seery’s former workplace at the Texoil fuel company. When the general manager called gardaí, Seery “panicked” and moved some of the drugs to his home.

Seery, Seaview Avenue, East Wall, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possessing cannabis resin, cannabis herb and chlorophyll huperzine at his home and his workplace on November 22nd, 2011. He has no previous convictions.

Garda Stephen Beatty told the court that the father of two took full responsibility for the drugs. He told John Byrne, prosecuting, that Seery claimed he had been awaiting a phone call from a person to collect the drugs, but this call never came.

Judge Patrick McCartan suspended the sentence for five years.