A Dublin youth who was offered £100 to move a packet of heroin with a street value of some £350,000 has been sent to six years' detention by Judge Frank O'Donnell.
John Cunningham (17), Kylemore Road, Ballyfermot, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to having the heroin for sale or supply on July 27th, 1998.
Cunningham did not get the promised £100 because he had not completed the mission. The heroin was seized after a chance encounter with a motorcycle garda.
Mr Fergal Foley, prosecuting, read Cunningham's statement which said someone he did not wish to name had offered him £100 to move the package in the Ballyfermot area, from "California Hills" to Rossmore.
Cunningham said he was with a friend. Garda Kieran Nolan, whom he knew, came along on a motorcycle. He dropped the package which he had been holding in his left hand.
He had a bottle of beer in his other hand and dropped this also. Garda Nolan caught him and put him on the ground.
Ms Aileen Donnelly, defending, said her client had used his time in custody since last July to study for the Junior Certificate. He came from a decent family who were horrified at the offence.
The St Patrick's Institution authorities had a letter in court describing him as courteous and well-behaved.
Ms Donnelly said Cunningham accepted he had to pay the penalty for such a serious offence. He was aware he was collecting drugs but did not know it was heroin to that value.
Counsel submitted the street value by itself should not warrant an extra-long custodial sentence. "He was a courier in a minor way," said Ms Donnelly.