‘panicked’ | 

GAA fan swallowed bag of suspected cocaine to thwart garda search at Croke Park

Father-of-two Terry Graham (41) has case adjourned until a date in May

Today at 07:10

A Gaelic football fan caught with a bag of suspected cocaine at an All-Ireland semi-final at Croke Park “panicked” and swallowed it when gardaí approached.

Terry Graham (41) was on his way to the toilets with the bag, having been offered it “because of the day that was in it”, when he was spotted by plainclothes officers, a court heard.

Adjourning the case for a probation report to be prepared, Judge ­Shalom Binchy said it had been a “family day out” with children present.

Graham, a father of two and out-of-work scaffolder of Collins Drive, Finglas, pleaded guilty to obstructing a garda drug search.

Garda David O’Callaghan told Dublin District Court he was on patrol at Hill 16 in the stadium on July 15 last year when he saw Graham go into the toilets with a small plastic bag of suspected cocaine.

When told he would be searched, Graham placed the bag into his mouth and swallowed it. He was arrested.

Asked if children were ­present, Graham’s lawyer said it was the “less familial side” of Hill 16 but the judge said it was “still a family day out”.

The accused did not have an addiction to cocaine and it was “for recreational use on the day”, his lawyer said.

“It was on offer because of the day that was in it,” he said.

“He panicked at the time,” the lawyer said of the obstruction charge. It was a “once-off, stupid mistake” and Graham was embarrassed by it, and apologetic.

The court heard he had previous convictions but not for drug offences. The judge adjourned the case until May.