‘easy target’ | 

Family sobs as Dublin man caught with over €180k of cannabis and cocaine is jailed

Keogh told gardaí he was trying to make money, that he was in debt and selling a couple of bags of cocaine, but was just holding the cannabis

A man who was caught with over €180,000 of cannabis and cocaine in his home has been jailed for two and a half years.

Mark Keogh (51) admitted to selling cocaine, holding cannabis in his home and transporting drugs for others after gardaí discovered the illicit items during a search of his home.

Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Keogh began taking drugs following the death of his wife from cancer.

Keogh, of Dunsink Green, Finglas, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at his address on May 25, 2019. He has no previous convictions.

Passing sentence today, Judge Melanie Greally said that since committing this offence, Keogh’s lifestyle has changed from chaotic to one that is “family-centred and pro-social”. He has rehabilitated himself from drugs and has not committed any further offences since.

Earlier this year, Keogh suffered acute renal failure and remains in poor health, the court heard.

Judge Greally said the drugs were of a high street value, but she found she could depart from the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years given the circumstances of the case.

Taking into account a number of mitigation factors, including his remorse, his lack of previous criminal offending, the fact he is now drug-free, his cooperation with the investigation and his current poor health, she handed down a sentence of four years. The judge suspended the final 18 months of that sentence on a number of conditions.

Members of Keogh’s family who were in court for the sentence sobbed as he was taken into custody.

At a previous sentence hearing, Garda Shane Guinan told Simon Matthews BL, prosecuting, that gardaí received confidential information regarding the supply of drugs at Keogh’s address in Finglas and obtained a search warrant.

Keogh identified himself as the homeowner and told gardaí where the drugs would be found in the house.

Gardaí found large bags of cannabis in a cardboard box in the kitchen, as well as cannabis and cocaine in a press under the stairs. They also found small amounts of heroin and ecstasy.

The total value of all of the drugs found in the house was €185,385.

Keogh told gardaí he was trying to make money, that he was in debt and selling a couple of bags of cocaine, but was just holding the cannabis.

He said he used heroin by smoking it and was getting paid money for what was found in the house. He said he would pick things up and drop them off.

Keogh told gardaí he got involved after his wife died in 2017. He said his whole world came crashing down, and his mortgage was in negative equity.

Gda Guinan agreed with Padraig Dwyer SC, defending, that his client was of good character prior to the offence and has not come to garda attention since.

The garda agreed with counsel that his client had been used by these people and that there were no trappings of wealth in his house. Immediately after the commission of the offence, Keogh began residential drug treatment.

Mr Dwyer said the passing of his client’s wife hit him very hard, and he ultimately spiralled downwards into addiction. He said his client became more and more vulnerable and presented as an easy target for the individuals who used him.