A former taxi driver found with ecstasy worth €300,000 in his car has been jailed for five years.
Donough O'Brien (31), of Cianlea Road, Swords, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of the drugs on September 10th, 2003, at the car park of Kealy's pub, on the Old Dublin Airport Road at Corballis.
He was to be paid €1,000 for his role as a courier.
Judge Miriam Reynolds noted that O'Brien came from an impeccable family and had all related advantages such as access to a good education.
He had agreed to transport the drugs from one place to another because he had "allowed himself to be tempted by easy money".
She said she accepted that O'Brien did not stand to gain any more than €1,000 by acting as a courier, and that he had been in financial difficulties at the time.
In not imposing the mandatory minimum sentence of ten years, she also took into consideration his early plea of guilty.
O'Brien, who has a girlfriend and two children, refused to give the gardaí the name of the people who had given him the drugs. "I can't tell you. I will be shot," he said.