Vet is jailed for possessing growth promoters

A CO Meath veterinary surgeon was compared to drugs barons supplying heroin and crack cocaine when he was sentenced to six months imprisonment on illegal growth promoter charges.

Maurice Regan (55), of Kilcloon, Dunboyne, received a second concurrent sentence of three months and was fined a total of £13,000 at Kilcock District Court in Co Kildare yesterday. He, pleaded guilty to 13 charges of possessing and keeping for sale illegal growth promoters on March 28th, 1992, at Tullymeadows Drumree, Co Meath.

Judge John Brophy said the vet "is a man I would compare to drugs barons who would supply heroin, crack cocaine, cannabis or whatever to humans.

Regan, who is understood to have an interest in two substantial Co Meath pubs, is the first vet to be convicted on charges linked to illegal growth promoters.

A Department of Agriculture official, Mr Declan Holmes, told the court that a search had been carried out at a farm and 8,431 illegal injections and implants worth £84,000 had been found. Regan's home was then searched and 38 empty hormone implant cartridges were found in an outhouse.

The court heard that when a detective sergeant approached Regan about this, he replied: "I am saying nothing at the moment. It would be very foolish of me to do so."

Mr Patrick Brangan, a Department veterinary inspector, told counsel for the State, Mr Eamon Leahy, that the prime function of illegal growth promoters is to improve the "confirmation" and weight of a carcass, and increase its value by between £150 and £250.

Mr Paul O'Higgins SC, for Regan, said his client could have sought to lie and deny the charges but did not do so. He deeply regretted what had happened and had "embarked on a different tack in life altogether". He had run Irish Farm Distributors, an animal remedies company, but this had been wound down.

Judge Brophy said if Reagan had been genuinely sorry he would have pleaded guilty to the charges in August 1994 and not have waited until the outcome of a Supreme Court case challenging the legislation banning growth promoters.

Passing sentence, Judge Brophy said Regan was "not a small man in this racket". He was a supplier, a professional man, a veterinary surgeon who had a "beautiful vehicle", through his animal remedies company, for distributing the growth promoters.

The judge said: "I could see a farmer perhaps gambling on getting away with dosing his animals to make a profit of £150 or £250 on the sale of a carcass." However, one of the charges Regan pleaded guilty to involved 4,860 doses of Revalar, an illegal product worth £48,000 alone.

Earlier, Judge Brophy fined a Co Cavan man £1,000 for the possession of clenbuterol in water. Liam Madden of Sallaghan, Gowna, Co Cavan, pleaded guilty to having the illegal growth promoter.