Six-month sentence for 'career criminal' on Offaly cocaine charge
Deal bags and drugs worth €2,170 found by gardai near Birr
A MAN who pleaded guilty to a drugs offence was described as a career criminal by Judge Andrew Cody.
Tullamore District Court was told that Tommy Ward (30), Mill Street, Birr was in a car with deal bags in it and cocaine worth €2,170 at Riverstown, Birr on November 6 last.
Sergeant Richard Thornton said Mr Ward had three previous convictions for possession of drugs, plus other prior convictions for assaulting a garda, public order offences and theft.
Pleas to charges of possessing cocaine and possessing cocaine for sale or supply to others, were entered by defence counsel David Nugent.
Mr Nugent said the defendant suffered from bipolar disorder and the offence had been committed at a time when there was a break in his medication.
He was now doing well and his medication was working really well and after having great difficulties he was working with the services.
“There was a chemical reason, in some part, for what he did,” said Mr Nugent.
Judge Andrew Cody said Mr Ward was “clearly peddling cocaine” and recalled that a plea of not guilty had been entered in January and the State then had to provide a certificate of analysis in relation to the drug.
He did not accept that Mr Ward's plea was an early one and sentenced the “career criminal” to six months in prison.
The judge added that he may have considered a suspended sentence if the plea of guilty had been entered seven months ago. He fixed recognisances for an appeal.