Young mother facing prison after being caught supplying drugs
Judge Eoin Garavan said the conduct of the defendant was 'quite shocking'.
A mother-of-two faces the prospect of prison after she was caught with more than €4,000 worth of cocaine and cannabis.
Enya Collins, aged 22, formerly of Kerins Pub Apartments, Lecanvey, Westport, but now residing in Belfast, pleaded guilty at Castlebar Circuit Criminal Court to charges of possession of controlled drugs for sale or supply.
Det Sgt Kieran Naughton said he received confidential information that drugs were located at the property Collins shared with her then partner. On November 2, 2019, a search warrant was obtained, and surveillance carried out. The apartment was searched and Collins was observed throwing cannabis wrapped in cellophane onto a bed. The 121.6gm package was valued at €2,432. Cocaine with an estimated street value of €1,918 was discovered in her handbag.
Barrister Martin Durack, representing Collins, contended that his client was “like a mule carrying the stuff". He said she was 18 at the time of the offences and had been a victim of domestic violence at the hands of her ex-partner.
The defendant also appealed a decision imposed in the district court in relation to an incident on July 22, 2020, when Det Sgt Naughton saw a car driven by Collins entering SuperValu car park in Castlebar at speed. One of the back-seat passengers was hanging out of the window.
Gardaí followed the car and blocked it in when it parked in the car park. Gda Naughton said some of the occupants were known to him and he suspected there may be drugs in the vehicle. The occupants of the car became abusive and aggressive and the male who had been hanging out the window was arrested.
Gda Naughton said the car contained black bags and was in a messy condition. He felt it would need to be seized in order to be searched properly.
When he informed Collins that he intended to take the vehicle, she became even more agitated and abusive. She told officers they were not getting the car and took the keys out of the ignition and put them down her pants. There was no female officer at the scene and Gda Naughton said he believed this motivated the action of Collins.
Judge Fiona Lydon handed down a three-month prison sentence at Castlebar District Court.
Mr Durack told the court that the accused was pregnant at the time of the obstruction offence and suffered a miscarriage two days later.
Det Sgt Naughton said that both Collins and others have shouted at him on the street and accused him of being to blame for her miscarriage. Mr Durack said his client wishes to apologise for those claims. She is now a mother of two young boys and has disassociated herself from “harmful influences".
Judge Eoin Garavan said the conduct of Collins was “quite shocking” and the accusations levelled at Det Sgt Naughton were “cowardly, mean, and low". He decided to increase the three-month prison term imposed in the District Court to five months.
In relation to the drugs charge, Judge Garavan said Collins was “caught red-handed" but he accepted that she was not a major player and had been “caught up in a sinister spider's web”. The judge said he planned to impose a two-year sentence for the drug offences but believes the accused “deserves a reasonable chance” if certain boxes are ticked.
Judge Garvan opted to adjourn sentencing for a year to give Collins the opportunity to show proof that she was free of drugs and alcohol and to undergo counselling.
The case was adjourned until July 2025.
