Motorist had drugs worth €20,000 in his car
Picture for illustration purposes only
A MAN who was caught with €20,000 worth of drugs as he was driving through Carlow town was handed a prison sentence for drug dealing when he appeared before the last sitting of the local circuit court.
James O’Toole was sentenced for possessing the drugs when he was stopped by gardaí on the Athy Road in Carlow on 25 July 2021.
Evidence in the case had been heard at an earlier sitting of Carlow Circuit Court and Judge Eugene O’Kelly finalised the matter on Friday 26 July.
The court heard that Mr O’Toole was in possession of chloromethcathinone and mephedrone as well as €1,800 in cash.
Judge O’Kelly noted that the defendant had 23 previous convictions and that the gardaí did not accept he was acting as a drug mule for other dealers.
He also noted that despite the detection that he was being sentenced for, Mr O’Toole continued to deal drugs and received a “significant” sentence in a Wexford court.
Judge O’Kelly then sentenced Mr O’Toole, with an address at 2 Kyle Place, Oulart, Co Wexford, to three years’ imprisonment, suspending two years and four months.
He also ordered Mr O’Toole to engage with the Probation Service for 18 months on his release.
