Peeing man led gardaí straight to apprentice's €17.5k cocaine stash, court hears

Tom Tuite

Gardaí caught an apprentice electrician with a €17,500 “full bar of cocaine" after noticing another man urinating beside his car, a court has heard.

Joseph Kelly, 23, of Clonown, Athlone, Co Westmeath, pleaded guilty to possessing drugs and having them for sale or supply in Athlone on February 10th, 2023.

In evidence, Detective Garda John Divilly told Mullingar Circuit Criminal Court that he and a colleague observed another male urinating beside Kelly's car.

That “drew the attention” of the gardaí, who pulled into the car park at which three males exited Kelly's car.

The accused then emerged from the driver’s seat and dropped an object wrapped in cling film. It was retrieved and found to be a single deal of cocaine.

His car was searched, and a bar of uncut cocaine was found. Kelly, then a 20-year-old machine operator, denied all knowledge of the drug and declined a request to provide his phone PIN.

The court heard he provided no material assistance to gardaí but later told his probation officer that “he was holding the package for the person who supplied him”. He claimed that he had been keeping the cocaine as a result of a debt he had built up.

The garda agreed with the defence senior counsel, John Shortt, that the accused came from a good family, ashamed of his actions.

Kelly, who had no prior convictions, told Judge Kenneth Connolly he owed money for cocaine, which he began using when he started going out.

The avid hurler admitted that he had been attending drug counselling and was embarrassed and remorseful, and his family was hugely supportive in his efforts.

The third-year apprentice also said he would provide urine samples through his doctor. Asked to explain why he told gardaí nothing, he replied, “Out of fear, threats, just out of fear", later clarifying that he was referring to his supplier.

Judge Connolly commented that there were worrying aspects to the case, and he did not really understand why the accused had the cocaine in his car.

He also noted the substance involved, a Class-A drug, which the defence posited was nowadays “normalised” and as easy to buy as a pack of M&Ms.

The court heard about an otherwise clean-living, gainfully employed and intelligent man. However, Judge Connolly heard there was evidence that Kelly was involved in a subsequent car chase involving gardaí.

Judge Connolly remarked that he was not impressed and remanded him in custody, saying Kelly needs his “heels cooled” in relation to this matter. He asked for a GP’s report to be furnished at the sentence hearing, which was set for December 12th.