Eleven months in jail as back-to-back sentences imposed on Offaly man

AN 11-month prison sentence was imposed on a young Tullamore man for drug offences at the local District Court on Monday.

Josh Rigney (23), Church View, Tullamore was jailed for nine months for an offence involving about €3,000 worth of drugs and Judge Andrew Cody imposed a two-month sentence, to be served consecutively, for obstructing a garda who wished to conduct a drugs search.

Sergeant Brendan Kearns told the court that when Mr Rigney was approached in Church Hill on May 15 last by Garda John Dunning who wished to do the search he rang and threw away a substance which was found to be €60 worth of cocaine.

Sergeant Kearns said the accused man became aggressive and pepper spray had to be used to subdue him.

Patrick Martin, solicitor for Mr Rigney, entered a guilty plea to that offence have done likewise earlier this month when a charge of drug possession for sale or supply to others came before the court.

That charge alleged possession of cannabis worth €3,601 and cocaine worth €454 at his own address on February 4 this year.

Sergeant Kearns said Mr Rigney had a previous conviction for having drugs for sale or supply dating from June last year, plus convictions for possessing drugs in May 2025 and December 2022.

Mr Martin told Judge Cody his client was “absolutely lost” at the time of the most recent offence because of his addiction issues.

He had also been recently diagnosed with ADHD and while he had been offered a bed in a residential drug treatment centre he had not been able to take it up.

However, now he would be getting a bed “imminently”, said the solicitor, who told the court Mr Rigney had shown a remarkable improvement. He said his parents and grandmother were supporting him.

“I appreciate he has quite a shocking record for such a young man,” said Mr Martin.

Judge Cody said that in addition to having over €4,000 worth of drugs the accused had obstructed gardai.

He noted the latest conviction was his fourth and having been found guilty of having drugs for sale and supply in June last year he was before the court again after a short period of time.

Imposing the consecutive jail sentences, the judge warned those who offended again after short periods that they were being given “one chance and one chance only”.

Recognisances were fixed for an appeal.

Other offences were taken into consideration and no penalties were imposed. There were public order offences at O'Connor Square, Tullamore on December 21 last and drug possession and obstructing a garda at Market Square in the town on December 26 last.

The accused has also been summonsed for alleged drug possession at William Street, Tullamore on July 19 last.

Last year when Mr Rigney pleaded guilty to drugs possession he had been fined and ordered to donate €2,000 to Accessible Counselling in Tullamore.

A sitting of Tullamore District Court in February, 2025 heard that €690 worth of cannabis and €2,690 in cash was discovered when searching a shed and Mr Rigney admitted illegal possession of drugs at 28 Church View, Tullamore.

At that time Mr Martin said his client had difficulties with drugs in the past but he was trying to get on top of the issue.

“The cash in the shed came from the collection of bonus social welfare payments over a long period of time,” said the solicitor.

(Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme)