A DISTRICT court judge has said that cocaine is the ‘scourge’ of the country and those peddling it are creating addicts and misery.
Judge Andrew Cody made the comment when sentencing Conor Kingston to eight months in prison for selling cocaine in Kinsale, at Bandon District Court last week.
Mr Kingston (29), with an address at Farrangalway, Kinsale, pleaded guilty to 10 charges in relation to the possession of cocaine, and the possession of cocaine for the purpose of sale or supply. The court heard that he had been selling the drug in Kinsale for five months ‘with impunity’.
Det Gda Colin O’Mahony of Bandon Garda Station said that in 2022 an operation involving the national undercover unit and local gardaí was set up in the Bandon district area to identify people selling drugs.
He said that the defendant sold cocaine to members of the undercover unit on three separate occasions.
The first was on Market Quay on September 30th 2022 and two more times in the toilets of The Armada bar on October 14th and November 11th 2022.
The drugs were sent to be analysed and were valued at €350.
The court heard that on December 24th 2023 the defendant was a front seat passenger in a van which was stopped by gardaí in Kinsale.
‘He handed over two deal bags of cocaine valued at €180 and was conveyed to Bandon Garda Station where he made a full admission that he had the drug for his own personal use,’ said Det Gda O’Mahony.
‘A search was later carried out at his home and he handed over 39 grams of cocaine with a street value of €2,730, as well as 62 grams of the mixing agent, benzocaine, a digital scales and deal bags.’
When interviewed, he told gardaí that he had been selling cocaine to about 60 customers since the end of September 2022, through word of mouth and meeting people.
‘He had paid €4,000 for the drug and was making a profit of between €1,400 to €2,000 a week, and selling seven to eight bags of cocaine a night for €100. The messages on his phone also indicated he was dealing and he said he took the drug himself two or three times a week.’
The court heard that he has 11 previous convictions, including one for drug possession from 2019.
Defence solicitor Diarmuid O’Shea said his client had a difficult background.
‘He started using cocaine and then racked up a debt and took to selling the drug to clear the debt,’ said Mr O’Shea.
Judge Cody said Mr Kingston was peddling drugs and making a profit while creating addicts and misery in Kinsale.
‘Cocaine is a scourge of this country and I’m duty bound to impose a custodial sentence for someone engaged in persistent and open dealing,’ he said.
He sentenced him to 12 months in prison but suspended the last four months.
Recognisances for an appeal were fixed in the defendant’s own bond of €500 with half of that to be lodged in cash as well as an independent surety of €500.
Judge Cody said Mr Kingston is to remain of sober habits, sign on daily at Kinsale Garda Station and observe a curfew from 9pm to 7am, while on bail awaiting the appeal.
