A YOUNG mother who is the first person in the State charged with the new offence of knowingly handling the proceeds of drug dealing has had hear sentence adjourned to February 5th, 1997.
Elaine Moore lodged money in her account for a man who was one of the major heroin suppliers in the south city area, Garda Michael Monaghan told Judge Cyril Kelly at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court yesterday.
She was living with this man at the time and knew he was involved in drugs but did not know the extent, Garda Monaghan said. She has ended the relationship.
Moore (26), of Alder Park Court, Tallaght, pleaded guilty to handling £8,000 on November 21st, 1995, "knowing or believing such property in whole or in part indirectly represented X's proceeds from drug dealing".
Moore, a mother of one, also admitted a second charge of allowing her house to be used for the distribution of heroin on November 17th, 1995.
Mr Peter Charleton SC, prosecuting, told Judge Kelly the handling offence was a new one which had come into force with the enactment of the Criminal Justice Act 1994 and Moore was the first person charged under it.
Garda Monaghan said Moore was not involved in her former boyfriend's drug business. He arrested her outside the Ulster Bank, Main Street, Tallaght, and found the money in an envelope.
Moore made a statement admitting she had lodged some money for "X" in her own account because she knew if it was found on him he would lose it. He asked her to withdraw £8,000 and she had just collected it when she was arrested.
Garda Monaghan agreed with Mr Eamonn Leahy, defending, that Moore came from a very respectable family who were traumatised by this matter.
Judge Kelly noted that "X" had a trial scheduled and adjourned the sentence until February 5th.