A former chef and owner of a successful restaurant in Spain, who became involved in attempting to distribute cocaine worth €103,000, has been given a six-year prison sentence at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Noel Tobin (33), Tonlegee Road, Coolock, Dublin, pleaded guilty to possession of the drugs at a hotel in Dublin, on December 15th, 2005.
Judge Katherine Delahunt sentenced Tobin to six years in prison with the final two years suspended. The judge said it was "by accident rather than by design that you fell into this plan" and noted that gardaí said they did not believe he could actually offload these drugs as "he was not actively involved in the drugs trade". He had also suffered a "significant personal tragedy" last year, with the death of his brother Darren, who co-owned the restaurant in Spain.
Judge Delahunt noted that Tobin was not involved in the drugs trade and was of previous good character. The judge said that due to these mitigating factors she was not imposing the mandatory minimum 10-year sentence.
Det Garda Colm Fitzgerald told Seán Guerin, prosecuting, that when gardaí found two men in a room of the the Temple Bar Hotel, one of them pointed out a wardrobe in which there was a suitcase with a laundry bag containing packets of cocaine worth €103,000. They also found €12,550 in cash along with a weighing scales and two passports.
Tobin admitted that the cocaine was in the possession of himself and co-accused, Fernando de Olazabal, who has since fled the State. The cash is believed to have belonged to de Olazabal.
Det Garda Fitzgerald said Tobin was running a restaurant in Spain and was home on holidays to visit his family. He was from a well-respected family and had brought "disgrace and shame" to his wife and family.