Carlow man caught with over €100,000 worth of cocaine was ‘creating misery for others’, says judge

A FORTY-FOUR-year-old drug dealer has been sent to prison for five years. Sentencing Ken Dooley in the local circuit court recently, Judge Petria McDonnell told him: “Drugs offences are exceptionally serious because they’re a means of creating misery for people.”

Mr Dooley, 39 The Fairways, Carlow had pleaded guilty to the charge of possessing approximately €105,000 worth of cocaine for sale or supply arising out of an incident that occurred in Carlow town on 16 September last. Arresting detective, Garda Niall Maloney, gave evidence of how he discovered six plastic cups filled with cocaine at a house in Carlow town.

The court heard that Mr Dooley claimed that he had a gambling addiction and that he had the drugs so that he could pay off debts.

“He said that his daughter and mother would be shot if he didn’t pay the debt,” Garda Maloney said. However, Garda Maloney added that he didn’t believe Mr Dooley’s claim that he was working for someone else.

“I believe he was the main dealer in connection to the drugs find,” said Garda Maloney.