ANGER AFTER JUDGE FAILS TO JAIL MAN OVER =8012K DRUGS

A LEADING anti-drugs campaigner has criticised a judge for failing to
jail a man who was found in possession of more than =8012,000 worth of
cannabis on a day when, in an unrelated case, an inquest was told of
the horrific case of a man who tried to beat his brains out after
taking cocaine.

Neil O'Donohue, 25, of Whitestown Park, Blanchardstown, told Dublin
Circuit Criminal Court that he found the cannabis while out walking
his dog and was "thinking about" selling it.

The man was told yesterday by Judge Tony Hunt that "it may be the time
of year but I feel I should give you a chance". The judge imposed a
two-year suspended sentence.

Europe Against Drugs Network president Grainne Kenny said afterwards
that O'Donohue should be in prison for Christmas after being found
with such a large stash of drugs.

"If these judges are going to play Santa Claus at Christmas, it's not
appropriate to do so when you're dealing with drugs," she said. "There
are so many families at Christmas who are bereft through drugs and
that's a hell of a huge amount [of drugs]. I think it's a disgrace."

The case was heard on the same day that Justice Minister Brian Lenihan
said it was important to put drug dealers behind bars for "a
substantial time".

Answering questions in Cork on mandatory sentencing for certain
drug-dealing offences, the minister said: "If there was any question
of undue leniency I'd be concerned. There are severe sentences in
operation."

Meanwhile, an inquest heard that David Doyle, 24, of Westbrook Lawns,
Balbriggan, Co Dublin, died at Beaumont Hospital on March 28 two days
after he was admitted to the A&E department in cardiac arrest after
taking cocaine.

Mr Doyle was successfully resuscitated, but he had already experienced
significant, irreversible brain damage caused by the drug.

Dublin Coroner's Court heard that Mr Doyle was staggering as if drunk
when collected by a taxi to take him from his girlfriend's house to
Westbrook Lawns, Balbriggan. When they reached there, Mr Doyle was
incoherent and unable to tell the taxi driver which house he wanted to
go to.

When he collapsed outside the taxi, the driver called the gardai, who
arrived on the scene to discover the young man hitting his head off
the ground.

When taken to the Garda station Mr Doyle was still trying to "bang his
head".

Shortly afterward he stopped breathing and gardai administered CPR
until the arrival of an ambulance.