Judge activates Offaly man's suspended sentences

SUSPENDED sentences imposed two years ago on a Rahan man were activated after Tullamore District Court heard he had committed subsequent offences.

Jeffery Moran (36), College View, Rahan, appeared before Judge Andrew Cody in connection with the re-entry of prosecutions dating from a court appearance in September 2023.

Back then he received a six-month suspended sentence for a drugs offence and a three-month suspended sentence for a public order offence.

Mr Moran appeared in custody in court and his solicitor Brian Duffy said that cannabis was a difficulty for him but he had sought assistance for the addiction.

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Mr Duffy also said his client wished to attend school in prison but could not do so after being moved to Wheatfield.

The solicitor asked Judge Cody not to impose much of the suspended sentences and instead focus on Mr Moran's efforts to engage with the underlying issue of cannabis addiction.

If a sentence was to be imposed, he asked the court to back date it to when the man went into prison.

Judge Cody noted that on June 6, 2023 Mr Moran, who was on legal aid, had received a six-month sentence for a breach of the peace and a six-month sentence for having drugs for sale or supply.

He had then offended in 2024 and 2025 and had 37 convictions in all, including nine for drugs offences.

The judge imposed two three-month concurrent sentences, ordering that they commence on the expiry of the sentence he is currently serving.

When Mr Moran was before him in September 2023 Judge Cody criticised him for not admitting at an early date that items in his possession at a house on Eiscir Circle Road, Tullamore on June 17, 2021 were drugs.

The judge said the items, which were valued at €2,000 had to be sent away for analysis. There had been pleas of not guilty from Mr Moran and three bench warrants had to be issued.

The judge noted the State had been put to the expense of having the drugs analysed and observed that Mr Moran had been given legal aid.

“He has treated the court with contempt,” said the judge.

His solicitor said the man had addiction problems, had been put out of his own house and because of homelessness was in accommodation in Longford which resulted in him rarely seeing his child.

He had a job at the time delivering furniture and was earning €400 per week. He had hoped to have compensation in court but did not have it, Mr Martin said.

The solicitor told the court the drugs found were items that could be got in head shops in England or online.