This article is from page 21 of the 2011-05-03 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 21 JPG
A LIMERICK man who has served time in prison for manslaughter has been jailed after he was caught with heroin in Kilrush.
Paul Coffey (34), with an address at Steamboat Quay, Limerick, was charged with possession of drugs for the purpose of sale or supply at Place de Plouzane, Kilrush, on April 27, 2010.
Inspector Tom Kennedy told Ennis District Court that the accused was found in possession of five deals of heroin when his apartment was searched. He said the value of the drugs amounted to € 150.
Judge Joseph Mangan asked did money change hands and was told that it didn’t.
“No. The evidence was he would share it with his friends,” said Inspector Kennedy.
Defence solicitor Turlough Herbert said his client was pleading guilty.
He said that his client’s partner had an addiction to heroin and the accused felt “he should have some control over the supply of drugs to her. She is going to get them anyway. He feels she should get them on a structured basis.”
He said that his client came from a disadvantaged area of Limerick and “has spent the greater part of his adult life in prison.”
“He wasn’t to make any money from this,” he said.
The court was told that Coffey had more than 50 previous convictions, including a 15-year jail term imposed for manslaughter at the Central Criminal Court in 2003.
Judge Mangan imposed an eightmonth jail term, to run consecutively to a 10-month term the accused is currently serving.
He fixed a bond in the event of an appeal.