A former heroin dealer jailed for 3 1/2 years in 1996 has been freed by a judge to complete her attempt to earn a Gaisce award from the President. Ms Jacqueline Reilly spent her time in jail making toys for children in hospital, studying Junior Certificate English and earning a first-class honours qualification in Pitman shorthand.
She also used the prison gym to improve her fitness and, subject to completing a last discipline - a walking expedition in the Wicklow mountains - she will be presented with a bronze Gaisce award by the President, Mrs McAleese, later this year. She also intends to sit the Leaving Cert English exam in June.
Ms Reilly (30), a mother of one, from Rory O'Connor House, Dublin, was jailed by Judge Cyril Kelly on November 20th, 1996, after admitting she had heroin worth £150 for supply that June.
But, suspending the rest of her sentence yesterday, the judge said: "It would be a waste of taxpayers' money to keep her in prison when she has rehabilitated herself in this way and I am going to take a chance by releasing her into the community." Addressing Ms Reilly directly, he added: "Good luck to you".
When sentencing her, Judge Kelly had complimented her on a starring role in an earlier Mountjoy Prison production of West Side Story. The musical was staged by prisoners to raise money for crime victims. Judge Kelly said then it was a shame the energy and commitment she had put into rehearsing for West Side Story had not been used in her life-style.
There are currently 11,000 people working towards a Gaisce award, which is given in gold, silver and bronze, depending on the extent of the commitment made. The achievements of each participant are supervised by a Presidential Award Leader (PAL).