An alcoholic who was to be paid €100 to mind cannabis resin worth over €100,000 has been jailed for six years.
Michael Redmond (37) from Balbutcher Lane, Ballymun, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to the unlawful possession of the cannabis for sale or supply on September 28th, 2003.
His partner, Sylvia Guilfoyle (23), also pleaded guilty and received a six-year sentence. Judge Frank O'Donnell suspended the last five years after hearing that she stood to gain nothing and only got involved out of her association with her boyfriend.
Judge O'Donnell described it as "a very sad but a very serious case" but added that he was satisfied that there was exceptional and specific circumstances for him not to impose the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
Garda Ronan Biggins told Ms Karen O'Connor BL, prosecuting, that both accuses were Guilfoyle's house when gardaí raided it on foot of confidential information. When Redmond handed over a green shopping bag containing 34 "nine ounce bars" of cannabis the couple were arrested.
They were interviewed at separate Garda stations and both accepted responsibility for the drugs and tried to minimise the involvement of the other. Guilfoyle said she had collected the bag on behalf of Redmond in Poppintree the previous week.
Redmond said he was to be paid €100 and he needed the money for drink because he was an alcoholic, while Guilfoyle said she needed the money to support their young daughter.
Gda Biggins said the couple didn't name anybody else in relation to the drug seizure because they were in fear for their safety but he added that he had "a fair idea" where the drugs came from.
The court also heard that the couple were neighbours in Balbutcher Lane before they started a relationship which had been going on for five years.