AN ELDERLY man who became a low-level crack and heroin dealer after his pension was cut, has been given a four-year suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
James Edgeworth (73), who supports his seriously ill wife, was caught after undercover gardaí bought drugs from him four times.
The court heard the father of eight needed to make extra money after his pension was cut by €30 following a dispute with social welfare officials.
Edgeworth, Clonard Road, Crumlin, Dublin, pleaded guilty to four counts of possession of drugs for sale or supply between May 14th and June 19th, 2008, at various locations in Dublin.
Judge Katherine Delahunt noted Edgeworth, who had been abusing alcohol since the death of his son several years ago, had since suffered shame and remorse.
Garda Triona O’Mahony told Shane Costelloe, prosecuting, that gardaí at Kevin Street Garda station put in place a sting operation to target low-level drug dealers in the area.
After receiving a tip-off, an undercover garda phoned Edgeworth, who identified himself as Jimmy, and arranged to buy €100 worth of cocaine. The garda met him on Parkgate Street and Edgeworth handed over the drugs.
A second buy was set up for two weeks later when another €100 of cocaine was bought. In June an undercover garda bought €50 worth of heroin from Edgeworth.
In July, a garda arranged to buy some crack cocaine and met Edgeworth at his house in Crumlin. After the drugs were handed over, gardaí arrested Edgeworth.
They searched the house and found another small amount of cocaine along with €800 in cash.
Edgeworth was polite to gardaí but refused to assist them during interview. He has 23 previous convictions dating back to the 1950s, mostly for road traffic matters. He has two convictions for robbery.
Pieter Le Vert, defending, said his client was having money trouble after his pension was cut by €30 a week. His wife suffered from several medical conditions, he said, and spent a lot of her time in an oxygen tent. The court heard he had recently recovered from prostate cancer and also had ongoing medical issues.
Mr Le Vert said Edgeworth had been at a funeral and was telling his friends of his money woes. One of his friend’s children overheard and later offered him the opportunity to make some money selling drugs. Mr Le Vert submitted that Edgeworth “stupidly” accepted.
He offered his client’s apologies to the court and said he was “shamed” by his actions.
Suspending the sentence for seven years, Judge Delahunt warned Edgeworth that if he came before the court again, he would serve the suspended sentence.