HEROIN ADDICT SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS FOR POSSESSION

A heroin addict who was caught by gardai in a Ballymun "squat" with
IEP500 worth of the drug has been given two years detention by Judge
Kevin Haugh.

Garda Denise Paul said Sean Kinsella told gardai he would buy batches
of heroin to "smoke my brains out".

Ms Marie Torrens, defending, told the court Kinsella became involved
in the drugs scene when only 13 years old due to low self esteem as a
result of abuse from his father.

Kinsella (19), from Silloge Avenue, Ballymun, pleaded guilty at Dublin
Circuit Criminal Court to a single charge of possessing heroin for
sale and supply.

Garda Paul told Ms Melanie Greally, prosecuting, that seven occupants
including Kinsella were using the house at Ballymun for a squat.
Kinsella had 24 small bags of heroin valued at IEP480 and immediately
admitted he intended to sell them to make IEP180 profit.

Garda Paul said at the time Kinsella was smoking five to eight small
bags of heroin daily. He was currently serving an 11-month sentence
imposed in the District Court last Friday.

Ms Torrens said Kinsella got involved in "the wrong crowd". In a
statement he admitted he would buy a half-batch, smoke the whole lot
and then get another batch until "I would smoke my brains out." She
asked Judge Haugh to consider that he had been incarcerated and sent
from one institution to another since the age of 15.