Man has sentence extended for possession of cocaine
The case was heard at Athy Courthouse Photo: Aisling Hyland
A MAN was sentenced to 16 months in prison for possession of over €3,500 worth of cocaine, on top of three breaches of a protection order.
The 28-year-old man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his former partner who took out the Protection Order, appeared in Athy District Court last week (23 September) from custody.
He was sentenced to 12 months for possession with intent to supply in Carlow Circuit Court in March, with a release date of 20 March 2026.
Initially, the man was facing a total of 13 charges which were due for hearing, but as he was now changing his plea to guilty on six sample charges, seven others were withdrawn by the state.
Sergeant Ruth Coleman gave evidence that the man was discovered to have had €3,570 worth of cocaine at an address in Athy following a search under warrant on 27 April 2024.
“Who was he supplying?” asked Judge Desmond Zaidan.
“Names weren’t given,” said the sergeant.
She then revealed the man had three breaches of a protection order between 9 September and 1 October 2024.
“He was sending messages about the kids and said he had done his time in jail and threatened to harm her,” said the sergeant.
His former partner then testified that on another occasion he followed her on the school run and started pulling on her youngest’s buggy on Leinster Street.
“He followed me up to the school, he was screaming at me, abused me,” she said.
“I ran into a café where an old man tried to help me, and then he abused him,” she added.
“Under the influence?” asked the judge.
“He understood what he was doing,” she said.
“He was turning against me, he’d chase me, hit me, and got violent over the eight years.
“He threatened to come to the house and kill me. I was scared he’d come good on his promises,” she said.
As the man was pleading guilty, Sgt Coleman told the court the defendant had 55 previous convictions, including 13 for theft, eight for possession of drugs, and one for possession with intent to supply.
Barrister Hugo Mills, standing in for solicitor David Powderley, spoke in mitigation for the defendant.
“When I first met my client, he was very anxious that the court would learn of his progress with addiction, and he has a letter on this from his prison governor,” said Mr Mills.
“He is very contrite, and it (his incarceration) has not been the most enjoyable experience of his life,” he said.
“I will be making an application for leniency … which would not only be best for my client and his family, but for society,” he added.
“I’m afraid the aggravating factors outweigh the mitigating circumstances,” said the judge, noting that three of the protection order breaches were “committed whilst on bail, just six months after he got bail for the cocaine”.
He then sentenced the man to a further 11 months in prison for the cocaine, and a further five months consecutive on one of the sample protection order breaches, taking into consideration the other four charges.
