Jailed for nine months on heroin charge

Bernard Murray, 49 John Paul Avenue, Cavan was sentenced to nine months in prison when convicted of possessing diamorphine (heroin) for sale or supply at Tullymongan on the April 6, 2009. Inspector Seamus Boyle told the court that members of the Drugs Unit observed the defendant at Tullymongan. Detective Garda Kathleen Daly detained him for a drugs search and as she did so he dropped a plastic wrap containing six deals of heroin onto the ground. Det. Gda Daly arrested the defendant and questioned him at Cavan Garda station. Mr. Murray initially denied dropping the drugs and while he was in custody, two calls were made to his mobile phone looking for bags. It was determined that they were looking for bags of heroin and the street value was €200. A four-month sentence had been imposed on him in Blanchardstown at the end of February, 2010, according to his solicitor, Larry Burke. He explained that his client got temporary release to go and see his mother and he did not go back. Mr Burke told Judge MacBride that his client was 25 years of age and had committed a very disturbing crime in the past when he was a very disturbed young man. He now has a drugs-related problem and an addiction to heroin going back some years. He had kicked the habit previously but had lapsed. On the night in question, he had been with his uncle and his uncle's girlfriend who also had an involvement with drugs. They had been watching the Roy Keane documentary and he went down to buy the drugs. He bought them but did not want to sell them but admits they would have been for himself, his uncle and his uncle's girlfriend. "All he wants is to get back into the jail system. He knows that where he is going, then he wants to get out because his mother is not well and he also has a young child that he wants to see," explained Mr. Burke. The defendant told Judge MacBride that he was clean as far as drugs were concerned for the past eight or nine weeks. Judge MacBride recommended appropriate treatment for drug addiction if it was required in the future and counselling. He complimented Detective Sergeant Hugh Roche and Detective Garda Kathleen Daly and their colleagues in the Cavan/Monaghan Drugs team for the excellent work they are doing and he urged them to keep it up. Recognisances were fixed in the event of an appeal.