A tanning salon operator has been granted bail after he was charged over a seizure of cocaine at a north Dublin apartment.
Gardaí from the Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau including the Serious Crime Task Force, supported by local units, carried out a search of an apartment at Auburn Park in Castleknock on Monday. A submachine gun and ammunition were recovered, and a quantity of cocaine worth more than €300,000.
David Tennyson (37), with an address at Carrigallen Drive in Finglas, Dublin, was arrested at his home on Monday and detained at Blanchardstown Garda station under the provisions of Section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act.
He was charged and brought to appear before Judge Gráinne O’Neill at Dublin District Court yesterday.
He faces two charges under the Misuse of Drugs Act for unlawfully possessing cocaine at the apartment at Auburn Park in Castleknock and having it for the purpose of sale or supply. However, Det Garda William Armstrong told Judge Gráinne O’Neill there was a possibility of another serious charge being brought. He said Mr Tennyson replied “no comment” when the two charges were put to him.
Det Garda Armstrong objected to bail citing the seriousness of the charges.He said the value of the cocaine was in excess of €300,000 and he also said there was a possibility of a “further serious charge”
Det Garda Armstrong agreed with defence solicitor Richard Young that Mr Tennyson had no prior criminal convictions and gardaí were satisfied that he lived at his given address.
Bail conditions
Mr Young said his client would abide by bail conditions and his wife would offer to act as an independent surety. The defence solicitor also asked the court to note there was no evidence that he was a flight risk or would interfere with witnesses.
He said Mr Tennyson was arrested at his home and had been aware gardaí wanted to speak with him.
However,the judge said the allegations were serious but he was entitled to the presumption of innocence. She granted bail in Mr Tennyson’s own bond of €5,000 along with an independent surety of €5,000.
The court ordered him to reside at his current address, have a phone on which he can be contacted by gardaí at all times, and to sign on daily at his local Garda station. He has already surrendered his passport and the judge agreed to Det Garda’s Armstrong request to impose another condition that he would not apply for new travel documents or leave the jurisdiction.
Mr Tennyson spoke briefly saying “I understand” after the judge read out his bail terms.
He will face his next hearing on September 1st at Blanchardstown District Court. His wife Alison Tennyson was approved as the independent surety.