DRUG CHARGE DEFENDANTS CHANGED PLEA TO GUILTY

TWO men who pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis resin with intent to
supply had been used by others more heavily involved in the drug scene,
Dundalk Circuit Criminal Court was told.

Paul Quinn (42) and James Downey (27) with addresses at Ballsgrove Estate,
Drogheda, admitted possession of the drug at Cord Road, Drogheda on the
February 10, 1994.

Yesterday morning both had denied the charge as well as a charge of
possession of ecstasy with intent to supply on the same date. In the
afternoon, the court was told there had been a development. The men were
re-charged with just the cannabis offence to which they then pleaded guilty
and the State entered a nolle prosecute in relation to the ecstasy charge.

Garda Brian Morrissey, Drogheda Drugs Unit, told the court neither
defendant was known to the gardai before the offence. In detailed
statements to gardai the men had outlined how they got involved with men
referred to as Mr A and Mr B.

On February 10, 1994, Paul Quinn had driven with James Downey and Mr A from
Drogheda to Dublin. On the way they were told they were collecting drugs.
They drove to the quays in Dublin and followed a car from there to a hotel
in Dun Laoghaire. There another car arrived and they were given a green
holdall which was extremely heavy and big.

They drove back to Drogheda and brought the bag into Mr A's house. Later
the defendants put the holdall in a wardrobe in a house belonging to Corona
Sarsfield, Cord Road, who has already been dealt with by the courts.

Garda Morrissey said on February 19, 1997 he was in possession of a search
warrant and searched the house. He found the holdall and saw in it what
appeared to him to be two brown pieces of a substance he believed to be
cannabis. Analysis found it to be 2·7 kilos of cannabis, sufficient to make
9,357 hand rolled cigarettes.

Garda Morrissey agreed with barristers for both men that they had got
involved in a situation where they had been used.

Judge Smith remanded them in custody to Trim Circuit Court next Tuesday for
sentencing.