The passenger in a van carrying more than £1 million worth of ecstasy tablets has been jailed for seven years by Judge Patrick McCartan at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Thomas Delaney (30), of Galtymore Close, Drimnagh, was found guilty by a jury on December 1st of having more than 100,000 ecstasy tablets for sale or supply on August 11th, 1999.
Donal Keenan (26), also of Galtymore Close, who was driving the van, pleaded guilty and was remanded in custody for sentence on February 8th.
Members of the Garda National Drugs Unit found the drugs when they stopped the van as it was driven off the M50 at Ballymount in west Dublin.
Det Garda O'Neill said Delaney and Keenan revealed they were to be paid £300 for their roles. Delaney said he wasn't "the main man" but refused to name anyone else involved. The jury also heard Delaney told gardai he would be jailed for 15 years for having the drugs.
Mr Anthony Sammon SC, defending, said Delaney was insisting on his innocence and that he had been wrongly convicted. The court could take his previous good character and lack of convictions into consideration when dealing with sentence.
Judge McCartan said he didn't believe Delaney's evidence that he didn't know what was in the van and was along to keep Keenan company.
He accepted Mr Sammon's submission that he could impose a sentence below the 10year term laid down in the 1999 legislation.