An unemployed man who had £300,000 of heroin in his house said he would be shot if he revealed the owner of the drugs, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has been told.
Michael Gilton had been released from prison two years previously following a conviction for possession of heroin worth £100,000.
Gilton (53) of Clanmaurice Road, Donnycarney, pleaded guilty to possession of heroin with intent to supply at his home on August 20th, 1997.
Det Garda David Gallagher told Ms Isobel Kennedy BL, prosecuting, that after receiving confidential information, he and three other gardai followed Gilton to a pub near Collins Avenue, Dublin.
Gilton came out of the pub at 11 a.m. and got into a Jaguar car. After he was stopped by gardai, he agreed to take them to his home where they found two bags containing £300,000 of heroin. They also uncovered weighing scales, a bag of glucose and other materials used in the distribution of the drug.
Det Garda Gallagher agreed with Mr Peter Charleton SC, defending, that Gilton made a full admission and told gardai he had taken possession of the drugs because he had been threatened by drug dealers.
Judge Frank O'Donnell said he needed time to consider the facts and adjourned sentencing to December 18th.