A woman whom gardai believed might have grossed as much as £40,000 from drug dealing has been jailed for six years by Judge Frank O'Donnell at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Louise Shevlin (25), of Avon dale House, Dublin, pleaded guilty to having heroin for sale or supply on July 15th, 1997.
Garda Angela Willis told the court she recovered heroin valued at £2,350 during a search of Shevlin's apartment in July 1997. The search was carried out by the north central divisional drugs unit during Operation Co-operation, which targeted a major drugs network in the inner city area.
Shevlin, a mother of two, was one of the main people distributing heroin for Michael "Country Mick" Heeney, who was recently jailed by Judge Cyril Kelly for 12 years.
Judge O'Donnell noted Shevlin challenged the prosecution assertion that she had made substantial money from dealing but he had to have regard to the effects her actions had on so many young people in the inner city area. The court had to regard drug dealing for profit as a serious offence.
Judge O'Donnell agreed with the request of defence counsel, Mr Patrick Marrinan, to review the case on January 20th, 1999, to see if Coolmine Therapeutic Centre was an option for Shevlin. Should she be deemed suitable, and a place becomes available before that, the case will be re-entered.