A man described in court as the main supplier of cocaine in Killarney has been sentenced to two years in prison for money laundering and drug offences.
36-year-old Damien Burke of Doonryan, Tralee Road, Killarney, was sentenced on three counts to which he pleaded guilty at Tralee Circuit Court.
The sentencing hearing was told that Mr Burke is at risk in prison because of money he owes as a result of drugs seized from him by gardaí.
Summarising the facts of the case before sentencing, Judge Sinead Behan said gardaí entered one of the Wild Atlantic Apartments in Killarney on 13th May 2022.
When they entered, Mr Burke disposed of his phone, and gardaí found over €3,300 in cash, believed to be the proceeds of criminal conduct, as well as cannabis worth over €500 hidden in the sofa.
His phone was retrieved, and had a large number of texts showing he engaged in drug dealing of “white”, thought to be cocaine, and “green”, thought to be cannabis.
Mr Burke was again found in possession of drugs just three weeks later, on the 5th June 2022, when a total of 39 grams of cocaine, with an estimated street value of almost €3,000, and 203 grams of cannabis, estimated street value of over €4,000, were seized.
Judge Behan said gardaí believe him to be the main supplier of cocaine in Killarney.
On behalf of Mr Burke, barrister Katie O’Connell said she apologised for his disappearing act from the court last month; his case had been left stand over lunch to consider residential treatment options and Mr Burke left the court and didn’t return, and gardaí had to find him and bring him back to court.
Ms O’Connell said her client was overcome with anxiety and had been beaten heavily before sentencing began.
She said there are people in prison, higher up the ladder, who would be delighted to see Mr Burke walk through the doors, and Mr Burke is therefore an at-risk person because of moneys owed as a result of the drugs seizure.
Judge Behan said Mr Burke continued his criminal activities even after coming to the attention of gardaí, and that she took a dim view of him leaving court previously when his case was not finished.
Mr Burke will serve a maximum of two years in prison for his three offences, backdated to 4th April this year.
