A DRUG dealer who operated in four counties was jailed for five years yesterday by Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The court will also hear an application for the forfeiture of some £22,000 discovered in a Garda raid.
James Doyle (26), with an address at Staplestown Road, Carlow, had 253 grammes of cannabis resin when his home was searched after a surveillance operation. He admitted possessing it for sale.
Det Garda James Brophy said gardai also found almost £5,000 in cash and bank and credit union books with a total of £17,000 in them.
Judge Cyril Kelly fixed February 17th next to hear an application by Mr Conor Devalley BL, prosecuting, for forfeiture of the cash and books.
Mr Gregory Murphy SC, defending, objected to the application. He said some of the accounts were in the joint names of Doyle and his now estranged girlfriend. He felt it should be dealt with in the District Court under the Police Property Act.
Det Garda Brophy told Judge Kelly in reply to a question that Doyle also operated as a drug dealer in Kilkenny, Wexford and Dun Laoghaire. He had a previous conviction for kidnapping someone who owed him money for drugs.
Mr Murphy objected to the prosecution introducing evidence unrelated to the charge before the court.
Doyle's brother, Paul (24), of the same address, was given a 12 month suspended sentence after he pleaded guilty to possession of the same drugs.
His counsel, Mr Thomas Slattery SC, said Paul Doyle had a mental age of 12 to 14 years and also suffered another severe psychological problem.
Det Garda Brophy agreed Paul
Doyle was under his elder brother's influence and acted as a runner for him.
The judge directed that James Doyle be transferred to Coolmine Therapeutic Centre on October 13th, 1997, as a resident if there was a place for him. He rejected an application to have Doyle admitted to bail at the end of his current sentence in August 1997.