JUDGE JAILS 'FAILURE' FOR CARRYING CANNABIS

A man described as "an absolute failure in life" has been given a
four-year jail term for his role in transporting IEP400,000 worth of
cannabis in Dublin.

Michael Maguire has already spent almost 20 of his 41 years in prison,
his counsel, Mr Seamus Sorahan SC, told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.

Maguire, of Buttercup Park, Darndale, and Buckingham Village, Dublin,
pleaded guilty to having cannabis resin on November 13th, 1997, for
sale or supply at Pineview, Aylesbury, Tallaght.

Det Sgt Greg Sheehan told Mr Patrick Gageby, prosecuting, that Maguire
was arrested during a house search at Pineview when he was observed
acting suspiciously in a nearby car. He was arrested when he tried to
drive away, and the cannabis was found in the car.

Mr Sorahan said Maguire believed at first he was moving about 10-12
kilos of the drug and did not realise there was a much larger amount.
He was nothing more than "a foot soldier".

He added that Maguire had never been free long enough to get a steady
girlfriend, or to marry and father a child.

Maguire pleaded with the court to suspend the final part of his
sentence "to extend the hand of rehabilitation" to him.

Judge Kevin Haugh said Maguire was a tragic man who had now resolved
to deal better with his life. He said Maguire had been in custody for
14 months and he would suspend the final 18 months of the four-year
sentence.