Drug dealer asked Gardai in plain clothes what they wanted
By Brion Hoban
A drug dealer who asked two garda members in plain clothes what they wanted has been jailed for two years and nine months.
John Bayly (31) of Foxdene Gardens, Lucan, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Foxdene Avenue, Lucan, on June 2, 2017 and to the same offence at Clonburris, Clondalkin, on 27 September, 2018.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Garda Denis Lordan told Garret Baker BL, prosecuting, that on the date in June 2017, Bayly was observed in the middle of a drugs transaction by gardaí.
When approached by gardai, Bayly fled on his bike, leaving behind a plastic container which was found to contain crack cocaine and heroin. The total value of the drugs was €2,283.12.
Gda Lordan said that on the date in September 2018, gardai on plain clothes duty observed a group of drug addicts gathering in a field in Clondalkin known as Clonburris.
Bayly arrived at the scene and asked a number of people what they wanted, including two garda members.
Bayly took various orders, walked away and returned with a plastic bag.
The bag was found to contain heroin, crack cocaine and Alprazolam tablets with a total value of €7,832.
Bayly has 69 previous convictions. These include convictions for possession of drugs for sale or supply, simple possession of drugs and road traffic offences.
Gda Lordan agreed with Keith Spencer BL, defending, that his client was someone who had been addicted to all manner of drugs including heroin and tablets. He accepted that Bayly was held as being liable for losing the drugs in question in June 2017.
Mr Spencer said the money his client owed for losing the first amount of drugs resulted in him selling drugs to try to dig his way out of debt.
He said his client also sold drugs at street level to maintain his own drug use.
Counsel submitted that his client was on the lowest rung possible as a street dealer and that often they were the people who were “taken advantage of the most by people making gains from this type of enterprise”.
Judge Melanie Greally sentenced Bayly to three-and-a-half years imprisonment, but suspended the final nine months of the sentence on strict conditions.
