GAA player (18) ‘panicked’ and fled garda drugs search

Oisin Tighe (18), of Mainham Woods, College Road, Clane, Co. Kildare, at Dublin District Court Photo: Collins Courts

February 16 2022 08:08 AM

---

A KEEN Gaelic football player “panicked” and ran when gardaí asked to search him for drugs, a court heard.

Student Oisin Tighe (18) was seen holding what an officer suspected was a small bag of drugs when he discarded it and fled.

The case against him was struck out at Dublin District Court after he made a €300 charity donation.

Mr Tighe, of Mainham Wood, Clane, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty to obstructing a drugs search.

Gda Kevin Gallagher said he was on patrol at the boardwalk at Bachelor’s Walk- on January 22 when he saw the accused holding a small clear bag.

The garda suspected it contained drugs and told Mr Tighe he wanted to search him.

The accused discarded the bag and proceeded to run away but was caught and arrested after a short chase.

Nothing was found. Mr Tighe, who had no prior convictions, was out with friends in town and sat down for a brief moment, his barrister said.

He was never stopped by gardaí before and “panicked.”

“He shouldn’t have run, if he had stopped, everything would be OK,” she said.

Mr Tighe was studying for his Leaving Cert and hoped to go on to study business.

He was a keen GAA player who had represented his county at minor level.

Judge Bryan Smyth said because the package was discarded there was a “question” over what it may have been.

His defence said there were “no addiction issues.”