Drug dealer does not seem 'awfully fussed' about going to prison
The defendant pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court.
A Westport mother-of-two who was caught with more than €40,000 worth of cannabis has been told to sell her BMW to pay for drug testing.
Catherine Ryan, aged 30, of Cogaula, Westport, pleaded guilty at a sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to possession of cannabis with intent to supply.
Gda Ciaran Naughton told the court that on May 21, 2021, Gardaí received confidential information that drugs were in Ryan’s then address at Kilsallagh, Louisburgh.
A male was sitting on a couch in the house when Gardaí arrived to search the property while the defendant and another woman arrived as the search was being carried out.
Cannabis in plastic bags was found in a number of locations in the house.
The total value of drugs discovered was an estimated €41,668. A male co-accused was dealt with in the District Court while a female co-accused who had 5.86gm of cannabis on her person left the jurisdiction.
Ryan has three drug convictions, including one for sale and supply. She was initially uncooperative with Gardaí but later made admissions.
Barrister Mary Durcan, representing Ryan, said the root cause of her offending was her drug use and addiction.
The court was told she was a “middle-man” in the operation.
Det Gda Naughton said her life was “too chaotic” for her to be any higher up the food chain.
Ms Durcan said Ryan now works for her father and is in a stable relationship. She claims to be drug-free for the past three years but no hair follicle testing or urinalysis was made available to the court. The defendant said she could not afford the €600 needed to pay for the testing.
Judge Eoin Garavan said it is concerning that this offence took place seven months after a previous conviction for dealing drugs was recorded.
He said there is no evidence before the court that Ryan is drug-free. He questioned why she has not used the money made from drug dealing to pay for the testing.
“She was dealing in drugs. I am certain she was not paying tax on her illegal earnings,” the judge remarked.
Judge Garavan asked the woman if she owned a car. Ryan replied that she drives a 2011 BMW.
“Sell it then,” said the Judge.
He remarked that Ryan did not seem “awfully fussed” about the prospect of going to prison and seemed to believe that he would just hand down a suspended sentence.
Judge Garavan adjourned sentencing until February 20, 2025, for proof that the defendant is free from drugs.
