Two caught with drugs seven years ago are jailed

Two well-known Dublin drug dealers, and ongoing targets of garda drug units, have been jailed after they were caught with heroin and cannabis seven years ago.

40-year-old Seán Mooney of Barry Park in Finglas, and 38-year-old John Brown of Barry Drive in Finglas, were jailed for a year-and-a-half and two-and-a-half years respectively after gardaí found drugs and cash in a shed at a house on Barry Drive.

Both pleaded guilty to possessing drugs with the intent to sell or supply on 17 August 2016, however Mooney then accused his defence counsel of collaborating with gardaí and said he had only entered a guilty plea because he was advised to.

He became agitated and abusive to people in the courtroom, before attempting to leave the defendant’s box.

He was stopped by prison officers and removed from the court.

Garda Garry Brennan said gardaí searched a property belonging to a third man on Barry Drive in Finglas and found two bags in a shed.

One bag contained 122.9g of heroin with a street value of €17,206 and another with a kilo of cannabis with a market value of €20,000.

The shed also contained a Lidl shopping bag where Mooney’s fingerprints could be found with 27g of heroin, valued at €3,780.

Brown’s fingerprints were found at various locations throughout the house, including on two bags of drugs in the shed.

Mooney’s defence counsel, Garret Baker, said the offence was seven-and a-half years old and that the 38-year-old has since made “significant steps in the right direction”.

He said Mooney is currently employed, plays an active role in taking care of his children and is also the carer for his father, who is showing early signs of dementia.

Brown’s defence counsel, Kathleen Leader, said he was involved in local youth groups “to help other young people use their energy into something other than illegal activities”.

She also said Brown wanted to apologise to the court and is ashamed of the hurt he has caused his family.

“He feels he has let himself down, both himself and his family,” she said. “His apology and his shame at being before the court are significant indicators of remorse.”

Mooney has 34 previous convictions for misuse of drugs, assault causing harm, handling stolen property, road traffic, public order, failure to appear and possession of an article.

Brown has 13 previous convictions for public order, road traffic, burglary and misuse of drugs.

Judge Martina Baxter said that communities were being devastated by “the scourge of drug dealing” and that “these are offences that are unacceptable.”

She sentenced Seán Mooney to two-and-a-half years imprisonment, suspending the final 12 months, and Brown to four years imprisonment with the final 18 months suspended.