Former business owner jailed on drug charges

A FORMER Limerick business owner, who was found with more than €5,000 worth of drugs hidden in a paint bucket, has been jailed for six months after a judge told him of the “outrageous” damage he could do to others by selling drugs.

Unemployed for almost seven years since his steel fabrication business closed, Niall Griffin (49) was still living in “relative comfort” at his apartment on Limerick’s Nicholas Street, according to Gardaí who “had him on their radar”.

Sgt Donal Cronin told Limerick District Court that Gardaí from the Divisional Drugs Unit found drug paraphernalia when they searched Griffin’s apartment on May 15 last year as a result of confidential information.

€4,780 worth of cannabis and €540 worth of Xanax tablets were found concealed in a paint tin when they searched his van.

He admitted having the drugs for sale and told Gardaí he got them “on tick” less than 24-hours earlier. He admitted he was selling the drugs with a hope to make €700 profit.

Defence solicitor John Herbert said “questions must be asked” as it was unusual for drugs to be handed over to someone “on tick” and for Gardaí to arrive a very short time later.

He was responding to Judge Marian O’Leary’s comment that she found it extraordinary that the DPP directed the matter remain in the lower court, “because getting drugs on tick suggests that this is a trusted person in this so-called business venture”.

She was told that Griffin employed three people in his steel fabrication business before it closed in 2009. Creditors were paid but he was still in debt to the banks and had entered into a District Court payment reschedule.

His debts were accruing and he was forced into doing something else for money.

“He had a drug habit and one thing led to another”, Mr Herbert said adding that it was “a disastrous decision to make”.

Stating that there was “an awful lot of drugs” involved, Judge O’Leary said it was appalling to think that he had his own business and was a father of a child – “and then goes and does this”.

“Has he any idea of what harm he could be doing to other people’s children? It’s outrageous,” Judge O’Leary added as she imposed a six month sentence for the possession of the cannabis with a six month suspended sentence and a €1,000 fine for possession of the Xanax tablets.