A HEROIN blocking implant would be cheaper than putting addicts in prison at a cost of £1,000 a day, Judge Cyril Kelly said in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
He was hearing the case of a Dublin woman awaiting sentence for heroin dealing. Her case had been reentered because she failed to sign on daily at a Garda station as part of her bail bond.
Louise Byrne (23), formerly of Gardiner Street Flats, Dublin, and with an address at Cherry Grove, Walkinstown, had pleaded guilty previously to having heroin for sale or supply on August 14th, 1996. Byrne was remanded on continuing bail for sentence on June 26th, but last month she was allowed travel to London for the implant drug treatment.
Det Garda Angela Willis said Byrne had failed to sign on on at least 10 occasions since her return from London.
A letter from Dr Colin Brewer, of the Stapleford Centre in London, said Byrne's full treatment had been delayed due to delivery problems from the USA. She had only had a small implant inserted and remained to convalesce for some days.
Dr Brewer said he was out of England earlier this month when Byrne returned to have the full implant operation and a misunderstanding arose, resulting in the operation not proceeding. She was taking the drug orally and it was hoped to have the implant completed in due course.
The court was told treatment with the drug, Naltrexone, was not available in this State. The drug could be taken orally or in the form of an implant in an operation which could be done under local anaesthetic.
Det Garda Willis agreed with Mr Niall Durnin, defending, that the return visit by Byrne to London would have accounted for some of the failures to sign on.
Judge Kelly agreed to allow Byrne remain on bail for a further week. Evidence of the offence will be given by Det Garda Willis, of the North City Drug Unit, at the sentence hearing.