A 17-year-old youth, who allegedly had €45,000 worth of cocaine hidden in a pram shed at his home could face a 10-year sentence, the Dublin Children's Court heard yesterday.
The teenager, who is from south Dublin but cannot be identified because he is a juvenile, has been charged with possessing a quantity of cocaine and a supply of cannabis, for sale or supply, at his home address, on June 22nd last.
He has also been charged under section 15A of the Misuse of Drugs Act for possessing cocaine worth over €13,000 for sale or supply, which on conviction can carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years.
Garda Kieran O'Reilly of Pearse Street station told Judge Ann Ryan: "We saw the accused entering a pram shed, which is beneath his own residence. When he stepped out, a search was carried out of the shed and his residence.
"The accused was in possession of a substantial quantity of cocaine with an estimated value of €45,000 and some cash as well."
He said packaging for cannabis resin was also recovered and the Director of Public Prosecutions was urging that the case should proceed to the Dublin Circuit Criminal Court.
Defence counsel Gráinne O'Neill said the 2001 Children's Act allowed submissions to be made to the Children's Court, which has lesser sentencing powers, for it to accept jurisdiction to hear the case.
The court could take into consideration the age and maturity of the juvenile defendant.
She told Judge Ryan that the youth had started to associate with a negative peer group following the death of his mother.
"No one in his family had been in trouble before. He started smoking cannabis. At the age of 14 he began taking heroin and accumulated a debt and was under the influence of other people in the area."
She added that he was on a training course, had started to receive counselling and had not been in trouble since.
In the second part of her application, Ms O'Neill submitted that juveniles facing this type of charge in the Circuit Court were excluded from facing the possible mandatory 10-year sentence.
However, if trial on indictment was ordered, by the time the case would reach the Circuit Court, her client would then be aged 18, an adult.
Reserving her decision for two weeks, Judge Ryan remanded the teenager, who was accompanied to court by his father, on continuing bail.