Man sells drugs to pay card game debt, court hears
Appeal against seven month sentence lodged
By Martina Nee
A man who had been selling drugs to pay off a bad debt accrued during a drunken card game was convicted and sentenced to seven months at Galway District Court last Monday.
Gary Vaughan, who later lodged an appeal against the conviction, had been found in possession of drugs valued at more than €1,500 and the court heard how he had got into drug dealing because a debt had been passed on to him. The 30-year-old with an address at 75 Ros Caoin, Roscam, pleaded guilty to a number of drug possession and dealing charges.
Garda Cathal Rodgers told the court that on August 8, 2008, he had been in receipt of confidential information and obtained a search warrant. When a search was carried out at the defendant’s home a large quantity of cannabis herb, worth €820, and cannabis resin, worth €686, was found along with €100 worth of cocaine. Vaughan was then arrested and brought to Galway Garda Station where he fully co-operated.
Defence solicitor Tomás McHale explained that the reason the drugs had been in his client’s possession was because of a debt that was passed on to him. The defendant “accrued this [the debt] by means of a card game and when he didn’t pay the drugs were passed on to him to sell and pass on the money,” he said. The court heard that Vaughan had been very drunk at the time of the card game, that he was “easily influenced”, and that he has never been before the courts for an offence like this.
The father of two is currently on a back to work scheme and has set up his own business as a sole trader for promotions and event management. Mr McHale said that Vaughan is extremely sorry for wasting Garda time and added that “it is bizarre circumstances”. He added that gardai believe that the defendant is not in the business of selling drugs.
“He knows what he was doing mixing with these people who had access to drugs. He knew what he was getting into,” said Judge Mary Fahy who then rejected a request to give Vaughan a chance.
“This has a knock-on effect. If the courts can’t send out a message I don’t know who can. This city is awash with drugs” said Judge Fahy, who then convicted and sentenced Vaughan to a total of seven months and fined him €700 payable forthwith. An appeal was later lodged.
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