‘I’m going to jail’ – dealer tells gardaí

SENTENCE Three years and nine months, with last 15 suspended

A convicted Donegal drug dealer, who was busted by gardaí with over €40,000 of cannabis, only came to garda attention after a row over a biscuit.

Kevin Doogan (29) was pulled from a bus in Cavan after a dispute arose inside the local bus station cafe over the price of a “gingerbread” man.

He was found by gardaí passed out asleep and laid across the back seat of the bus, which had only docked briefly to offer passengers a short respite as it travelled from Dublin. Beside Doogan were two bags - a plastic shopping bag and a black sports holdall - the latter of which contained almost two kilos of cannabis.

Doogan pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs for the purposes of sale and supply before Judge Aylmer at Cavan Circuit Court earlier this month.

Along with cannabis, he also had in his possession more than 2,500 blue tablets, later analysed and found to be benzodiazepine.

Evidence was given by Sergeant Michelle Gethins, with details in the case provided by prosecutor Monica Lawlor BL, instructed by state solicitor Rory Hayden.

At around 10.10am on January 10, 2020, gardaí became aware of an alleged theft at the bus station café. When they arrived at the scene, they were directed to where Doogan was lying by the bus driver.

There was a “strong smell” of cannabis, and Doogan, who has an address at 37 Parkhead, Killybegs, confirmed his name for gardaí.

He claimed ownership of the bags nearby, and almost immediately informed gardaí of the illicit substances therein.

“I’m going to jail,” Doogan admitted to gardaí. “Wait until you open the bag.”

Contained within the holdall were two vacuum packed bags of cannabis, with Doogan telling arresting officers: “I’ve two bags of green and a bag of tablets.”

Six more blue tablets were found in a white sock and in the breast pocket of Doogan’s jacket.

Gardaí in Cavan contacted colleagues in Donegal, who then obtained a warrant to search Doogan’s home. There they found €3,200 in cash, a small weighing scales and a notebook described to the court as a “tick list” of clients.

They also discovered 50 grey-coloured tablets later tested to be MDMA, as well as small amounts of cannabis herb and resin.

There was further cannabis plant material found in a “grinder”.

Doogan, the court was further told, had been on station bail at the time of being caught in Cavan, having been detected with a “large quantity” of cocaine for sale or supply in a Donegal town hotel in 2018.

He was subsequently convicted in February this year before Donegal District Court and sentenced to serve 10 months for the offence, with the final four months suspended. That term of imprisonment is set to expire next month.

By that stage he had already spent a month behind bars in relation to the Cavan detection.

Sgt Gethins said that Doogan accepted in interview that transporting that amount of drugs had its “own risk”.

Doogan’s Counsel, Michael Boweman SC, instructed by Sean McGee BL and solicitor Frank Dorian, informed the court that Doogan has had difficulties with drug use since his teens, and at the time of the arrest was under the influence of both tablets and cocaine.

He had worked in construction, in Dublin and then Australia for a period, before moving back home to Killybegs.

“He’s not a man who had his wits about him,” said Mr Boweman but he emphasised that his client had taken a “pragmatic and practical” approach to being caught.

He said too that Doogan had made “poor choices” in the company he kept, but was now determined to deal with his addiction issues. “Obviously he’ll be able to reflect upon his position and come out a better man than he went in.”

Judge Aylmer described Doogan as having been naïve, and taking all mitigating factors into account, sentenced him to three years and nine months in prison with the final 15 months suspended with conditions.

Credit was also given for time served.

The money seized at Doogan’s home was deemed to be the proceeds of crime despite a witness who swore to gardaí he had given the money to Doogan as payment for an 05 registered silver-coloured Toyota Corolla in November 2019.

Sgt Gethins assessed that a sum of €1,500 would have even been a stretch for a 15 year-old car, with Judge Aylmer agreeing.

Admittedly not an expert in the value of vehicles, he determined instead that the money was “more likely the proceeds of crime” and it was forfeited to the State.

Doogan’s parents were also present in court to witness the sentencing of their son, who appeared dressed in a grey and white-coloured tracksuit.

A nolle prosequi was entered in respect of all other remaining charges.