Handed heroin outside Portlaoise Court

A man who was handed €400 of heroin outside Portlaoise courthouse had spent seven months in solitary confinement in the UK, a sitting of Portlaoise District Court was told. 

John Kelly, 40, of 69 Hillview Drive, Portlaoise admitted to possession of heroin and obstructing gardai at Main Street, Portlaoise on September 7, 2021. 

A Garda Detective said a woman handed the defendant a package as he was being brought from the prison van into the courthouse.  He said the defendant tried to conceal the package which turned out to be heroin valued at €400.  He said the defendant has 97 previous convictions. 

Solicitor Josephine Fitzpatrick said her client was pleading guilty. She said she believed there was a co-accused before the court. 

The detective said there was and the woman received an eight month suspended sentence for sale and supply of heroin. 

Ms Fitzpatrick said her client had been in care from a young age. He had suffered abuse while in care.  He has just spent 13 months in three different prisons in the UK and while there was in solitary confinement for seven and a half months. 

Judge Andrew Cody noted there were 97 previous, including a number under the misuse of drugs act. 

He said bringing drugs into prison was a very serious matter. Judge Cody sentenced the man to six months in prison but suspended the sentence for three years.