A WOMAN prisoner who took part in the Mountjoy production of West Side Story has been sentenced to three and a half years for heroin dealing.
Judge Cyril Kelly complimented "star of the stage" Jackie Reilly on her acting ability at the start of the hearing at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday. But he said she had pleaded guilty to a serious offence.
"It's a shame the energy and commitment she put into rehearsing for West Side Story haven't been used to address her lifestyle," he added.
He said he would review the sentence on January 19th, 1998 and if she was to be released then he would need a favourable report from the prison governor and proof she was off" drugs.
Reilly (29), a mother of one, of Rory O'Connor House, Dublin 1 pleaded guilty to having £100 to £150 worth of heroin at her flat on June 11th.
Her case had been adjourned a number of times to allow her "to take part in the play staged by Mountjoy prisoners to raise, money for crime victims.
Garda Darragh O'Toole said when gardai raided her home they found two men and another woman in a bedroom. The woman dropped one £10 bag of heroin and the man had nine packets.
Reilly admitted she had just given him the drugs. She said she had dealt in drugs to feed her own habit.
Drug dealing paraphernalia were also found but Garda O'Toole said he was satisfied she had facilitated another man higher up in the supply chain, by letting him use her home.
She had two previous District Court convictions for allowing her premises to be used for heroin dealing.
Defence counsel Mr Michael O'Higgins said Reilly had worked as a machinist but started abusing heroin three years ago. Since going into Mountjoy in June she had stayed off drugs and intended to start working again work on her release.
She was "dealer on the lowest rung of a vicious cycle" and the prospects of rehabilitation were higher than in other cases, said Mr O'Higgins.