A man described as "a significant player" in the drugs trade in the south city and Ballyfermot in Dublin has been jailed for five years for heroin-trafficking at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
James Bowes told Judge Patrick McCartan he had never been a drug-dealer and could not understand how the heroin came to be in his tracksuit on January 4th, 1999. Bowes (37), River Valley, Leixlip, Co Kildare, and formerly of Durrow Road, Crumlin, was found guilty by a jury last month of having heroin for sale or supply.
Det Garda Eamonn O'Loughlin said Bowes had been a significant player in drug-dealing for the past three years in Ballyfermot and the south city.
Bowes, who represented himself after he had sacked his legal team after the first day of his trial in May when the hearing of evidence concluded, told the court he was unemployed and unfit for work due to an accident some years ago. Money found on him had nothing to do with drugs and was returned to him under the Police Property Act.
Members of the drugs unit at Sundrive Road Garda station said he became agitated when they found 8.43 grams of heroin and £2,000 cash on him.