Flying High | 

Passenger found with €3k of pills, knife and knuckle-duster in Dublin airport spared jail

The court heard he had flown from Cambodia, and his final destination was Glasgow, with Dublin as a layover. The total value of the tablets found was €2,981.

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An aeroplane passenger who brought nearly €3,000 worth of sedative tablets in his luggage was caught during a layover in Dublin Airport and admitted a drugs importation charge, a court heard.

Peter Lawlor (43) was returning to Scotland from Cambodia where he had bought the drugs over the counter in bulk for his own use.

He also had a knuckle-duster he got for protection while travelling, he said.

Judge Bryan Smyth gave him a six-month suspended sentence when he appeared in Dublin District Court yesterday.

Lawlor, with an address at Cameron Drive, Ardersier, Inverness, Scotland, pleaded guilty to importation and possession of drugs as well as having the knuckle-duster and a knife as weapons.

Garda Sergeant Michelle Lynch said the accused arrived in Dublin Airport’s Terminal 1 for a connecting flight on April 25 this year when a large number of tablets and weapons were found in his possession.

The court heard he had flown from Cambodia, and his final destination was Glasgow, with Dublin as a layover. The total value of the tablets found was €2,981.

Lawlor lived in Inverness with his wife, defence barrister Tara McLoughlin said.

He was suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) due to “violent things he witnessed in his childhood” and a little later, the court heard.

Lawlor was on prescription drugs as he was struggling with his mental health, Ms McLoughlin told the court.

Judge Smyth said this did not account for the large number of tablets the accused was found with.

The court heard Lawlor’s mother had died, his head was not in a good place and he went to Cambodia.

“This is what he does when something bad happens; he escapes,” Ms McLoughlin said.

The accused was able to get the drugs over the counter in Cambodia and bought them in bulk, the court heard.

Lawlor was very apologetic for the offences. The judge asked why the accused had a ­knuckle-duster.

Ms McLoughlin said Lawlor had also “bought it over there” as there were “shots being fired” and he had it for his own protection. He “just forgot about it,” when he was returning, she added.

Lawlor had no record in Ireland but had prior convictions in Scotland, the court heard.

The accused had gone to college and obtained a first in his degree.

He had no intention of remaining in Ireland once the case was dealt with and he knew nobody here, Ms McLoughlin said.

Judge Smyth said a prison sentence was warranted but he suspended it for two years.