suspended sentence for running a cocaine factory?

silverharp

Seems like the luckiest drug dealer in Ireland. Seems like a bizarre sentence?

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/courts/gardas-son-freed-over-drugs-find-at-his-home-2807384.html

A YOUNG father from a family of gardai who was caught operating a cocaine factory from his garage has been given a partly suspended sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Arthur Conroy (26), of Violet Hill, Glasnevin, was caught with €138,000 worth of the drug along with mixing agents, a hydraulic press, weighing scales and moulds.

Conroy pleaded guilty to possession of 18,000 grammes of cocaine in a garage beside his home on September 11, 2009.

The court had previously heard his father and grandfather were gardai and his cousin is a serving member.

Judge Donagh McDonagh said he believed Conroy, who has been in custody since October 2010, deserved a chance.

He sentenced him to five years in prison, which he backdated to October, but suspended the balance on strict conditions.

hnews@herald.ie

- Conor Gallagher and Eavan Murray

mikemac

Maybe gave up information on where the drugs are imported from for this deal?

dahat

Really does this need explaining?

He gave info on everything he had and where he got the raw materials for the factory plus being from a Garda family helped too,all in who you know really.

MagicSean

First offence, guilty plea, cooperation, stable background, well presented, good solicitor, remorseful. All of these add up to easier sentences. It's not hard to comprehend.

charlemont

He must be a rat.

charlemont

18,000 Grams is 18 K's, He must have sang like a canary, Thats crazy, Yet people get locked up everyday for Cannabis, Just goes to show what the justice system here thinks of public health.

joan mack

Depends on the humour the judge is in on the day, being a member of a gardai family could actually work against him. He was a lucky man, hope he decides against continuing to dapple as he may not be as lucky next time

chicken fingers

The herald have made a mistake here.
By Garda standards, 18 kilos is worth 10 times more than the number quoted.
18 kilos, there is no way to get off for that.

honeyvale

dahat wrote: »

Really does this need explaining?

He gave info on everything he had and where he got the raw materials for the factory plus being from a Garda family helped too,all in who you know really.

+1

Dub.

chicken fingers wrote: »

The herald have made a mistake here.
By Garda standards, 18 kilos is worth 10 times more than the number quoted.
18 kilos, there is no way to get off for that.

Indeed, they initially valued it at 3 million euro.

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/courts/two-in-court-to-face-charges-on-euro3m-drugs-bust-1886592.html

Finnbar01

I thought a new law was brought in a few years back that stated anyone caught with more than €10,000 worth of drugs was automatically to receive a 10 yr sentence?

Also heard that a lot of judges were complaining about the new law and said they would take other things into account when sentencing.

honeyvale

Finnbar01 wrote: »

I thought a new law was brought in a few years back that stated anyone caught with more than €10,000 worth of drugs was automatically to receive a 10 yr sentence?

Also heard that a lot of judges were complaining about the new law and said they would take other things into account when sentencing.

like whether defendent was a garda?

MagicSean

honeyvale wrote: »

like whether defendent was a garda?

Generally the persons occupation will be brought up by the defence as will their family background. The judge can choose to take it into account or not.

trolltastic11

More proof the government are involved in drug dealing. Where do u think all the ex police ex army ex security go? Into drug dealing of course with plenty of links to politicians. Even if the gov isnt involved they still confiscate the assets of drug dealers so why bother legalising and taxing , that would just loose votes.

Sunnyisland

trolltastic 11 wrote: »

More proof the government are involved in drug dealing. Where do u think all the ex police ex army ex security go? Into drug dealing of course with plenty of links to politicians. Even if the gov isnt involved they still confiscate the assets of drug dealers so why bother legalising and taxing , that would just loose votes.

I know Irish politicians are bad but this is not columbia or mexico.

Re the sentence, it seems very low but then ALL mitigating factors are taken in to account including family.

detective

I'd imagine he had every bit of mitigation going for him but to spend Oct 2010 to July 2011 in custody is way too lenient for this offence in my opinion.

mattjack

it does seem unusually lenient....there is also a recent conviction where a man was caught with a million euros worth of cocaine and also convicted of fraud.AGS have accepted that he was storing cocaine ..his sentence...six years.

PCPhoto

our criminal system cant cope with the amount of criminals before the courts - we simply don't have the capacity to hold all the scum in this country.

the judges are far too lenient because they fear the criminals* , the criminals repeatly break the law because they know the punishment wont fit the crime and they will be well taken care of "inside".

in effect dont blame the player - blame the game !!!

The system is funked up !! people with multiple criminal convictions should not be given the benefit of probation orders, or community service they should not receive leniency....criminal activity is not a disease its a choice !!

(just because this guy has garda connections and its his first time getting caught he gets a light sentence ...there are plenty of cases out there where the criminals get an approriate sentence - its quite rare in this country though)

*= may or may not be true.

charlemont

Dub. wrote: »

Indeed, they initially valued it at 3 million euro.

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/courts/two-in-court-to-face-charges-on-euro3m-drugs-bust-1886592.html

Serious corruption involved in this case so..