A former British soldier has been jailed for 10 years for having cocaine valued at €50,000 for sale or supply.
Paul Fitzgerald (47), of Orwell Mews, Rathgar, Dublin, pleaded guilty to having the cocaine at his home on March 25th, 2004.
Judge Frank O'Donnell told Fitzgerald he was a man with a history of serious crime behind him.
"I see no exceptional circumstances, and I am going to impose the mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years," he said.
He had heard earlier that Fitzgerald has nine previous convictions in England for offences, including possession of illegal drugs, forgery, arson, handling stolen property and possession of firearms.
Det Garda Tom Barber told Fergal Foley, prosecuting, that on foot of confidential information gardaí searched Fitzgerald's home and found 720g of cocaine, a vacuum-packing machine and a pressing machine.
Det Garda Barber said the cocaine had a market value of €50,000, and the machines were used to mix and pack the powder into packages for sale.
He told senior counsel Michael O'Higgins, defending, that Fitzgerald's role was to mix and pack the powder, for which he was paid €1,000.
Mr O'Higgins told Judge O'Donnell his client had been born in Ireland and raised in England. He joined the British army when he was 18 and served for nine years.
He returned to Ireland 4½ years ago and now lived with his partner and her three children.
Mr O'Higgins said his client was a "chequered character" but also a man who had done many good deeds in his life, and was a father figure to his partner's children, one of whom is disabled.