Get a job, judge tells drug dealer who had €45k in cash
Judge Eoin Garavan told the defendant it was time to get a job.
A Castlebar man caught with almost €45,000 in cash and a quantity of cannabis has been told by a circuit court judge to ‘get a job’.
Martin Rice, aged 47, of Jennings' Apartments, Thomas Street, Castlebar, appeared before Judge Eoin Garavan at a sitting of Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court last week where he pleaded guilty to money laundering and possession of drugs for the purpose of sale or supply.
The court was told that on April 16, 2019, Gda Sarah McLoughlin stopped Rice’s car and detected a smell of cannabis. The defendant handed over a deal bag containing cannabis herb.
A further search of the car recovered 2,000 deal bags in the boot and a Pringles box containing cannabis. A sum of €950 was on his person.
A search warrant was obtained for a property Rice was also residing in at Greenfields, Castlebar. Gardaí found €41,300 in cash in a washbag and €3,600 concealed in a book.
A lunch box in a bedroom contained cannabis herb. The value of the cannabis recovered totalled €950.61 while the amount of cash recovered came to €44,900.
The court heard that Rice has more than 50 previous convictions.
Barrister Dr Laura Byrne, representing Rice, said her client has had significant addiction issues throughout his life and had a major cocaine habit at the time of these offences.
The court heard he was spending €400 per day at one point. He had a drug debt of €3,000 when he was arrested. Rice is now drug free.
Judge Garavan noted that Rice has a productive relationship with the Probation Service which has led to improvements in his life.
“One has to be impressed with the good place he is in now,” the judge remarked.
Judge Garavan said Rice’s long history of unemployment must come to an end.
“He should be out working. It’s too easy obviously to make money from the drugs game,” said the judge.
“He needs to get a job,” he added.
For money laundering, Judge Garavan imposed a two-year suspended prison sentence. In relation to the drug dealing offence, he was ordered to undertake 240 hours of community service in lieu of 14 months in prison.
- Published in conjunction with the Courts Reporting Scheme.
