Teenager caught selling drugs from vacant cabin in garden
By Brion Hoban
A teenager who was repeatedly caught by gardaí selling drugs from the same vacant cabin has been jailed for three-and-a-half years.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that there was “a level of stupidity” in Nathan Flynn (now 20) continuing to sell cannabis, cocaine and heroin from the same cabin in which he was residing at the time, despite being caught by gardaí on six occasions over a three-month period.
Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Flynn, of Killinarden Heights, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at Rossfield Park, Tallaght, on six dates between June 9, 2019 and August 19, 2019.
He also pleaded guilty to possession of drugs for sale or supply at his own address on August 19, 2018. He has four previous convictions, all of which are for possession of drugs.
Detective Garda Michael McGrath told Dara Hates BL, prosecuting, that he was involved in an investigation into drug-dealing at an address which was vacant due to its owner being an elderly gentleman who was in long-term residential care.
Det Garda McGrath said that on June 9, gardaí stopped the accused man as he was leaving the address at Rossfield Park and said they were going to search him.
Flynn then handed over bags of cannabis and cocaine.
A cabin in the back garden of the address was searched and further drugs were discovered, as well as over €2,000 in cash. CCTV footage confiscated from cameras set up at the cabin showed approximately 40 customers approaching the cabin on that date.
Further searches of the cabin were conducted by gardaí on June 27, June 29, July 9, July 28 and August 19. On each of these occasions Flynn was present at the cabin and gardaí found further drugs and cash.
On the date in August, gardaí also searched Flynn’s former address at Killinarden Heights and discovered further quantities of drugs.
A total value of €6,726 of cannabis, cocaine and heroin was discovered across the six dates. A total of €6,275 cash was also discovered.
Det Garda McGrath agreed with Sarah-Jane O’Callaghan BL, defend-ing, that her client had been kicked out by his mother due to his drug use. He agreed that Flynn was homeless at the time and living in the cabin.
The garda agreed that there was “a level of stupidity” involved as Flynn was caught by gardaí and continued selling drugs from the same location. He agreed it was possible that Flynn owed some money stemming from his own drug addiction.
Ms O’Callaghan said it was an unusual case in which her client’s parents and step-parents were happy he was in the dock as they were disgusted with his offending. She said that hopefully he had learned the lesson that “from drug-dealing nothing good comes”.
Judge Martin Nolan said he could describe the behaviour as being “pretty stupid”. He said that reading between the lines, the accused was probably working for someone else.
Judge Nolan said that by reason of his repeated misbehaviour Flynn must endure a considerable custodial sentence. He sentenced Flynn to three-and-a-half years im-prisonment.
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