"I find drug dealers to be scum of the earth" - judge

A district court judge last week lashed out at drug dealers, calling them the scum of the earth and told an Athlone man he was an evil person for selling drugs as he handed down a suspended sentence to the man, who was charged with dealing heroin. Judge Seamus Hughes made his comments in the case of Joseph O'Neill, Apartment 1, St Anne's Terrace, Athlone, who pleaded guilty to possession of heroin for sale or supply at Battery Heights, Athlone, on November 9 last year. A charge of possession of heroin on the same date was withdrawn by the state. Inspector Nicholas Farrell said Joseph O'Neill was searched on the day in question and found in possession of heroin to the value of €225. He told the court O'Neill had five previous convictions for possession of drugs. Defence solicitor Mark Cooney said the defendant was approached by Garda Mark Lucas and co-operated fully with him. "He indicated he had stuff and he was giving it to people he knew who were sick or in trouble," said Mr Cooney. Mark Cooney said Joseph O'Neill had a chronic addiction and had been on the methadone programme previously and had been successful for a number of years before he broke out. "He has since re-engaged with the methadone programme. He hasn't come to garda attention since," his solicitor told the court. "What he said to Garda Lucas was that he would give it to people when they needed it. He wasn't dealing in the sense that he was out pedalling drugs. That's why he's pleading guilty," he said. O'Neill said: "I wasn't selling drugs. The drugs were for personal use and I was giving them to a friend who was sick." Judge Hughes said: "A large number of people coming into this court are on drugs and sure you're supplying them to them." O'Neill said to the judge that he was giving the drugs to a sick person on the day in question. Imposing a four month sentence, which he suspended for two years, Judge Hughes told O'Neill: "Don't let me see you in this court again." When he heard O'Neill wanted legal aid, Judge Seamus Hughes asked: "Mr O'Neill why can't you afford to pay your solicitor when you're selling drugs for profit?" Joseph O'Neill replied that he was on social welfare and, when asked, replied that he didn't have a bank account. Judge Hughes said: "You receive €198 on social welfare. Yet, you had €225 worth of drugs on you. "How do you explain that equation?" Mr O'Neill said he couldn't, but then said he'd sometimes have money left over from week to week. Judge Seamus Hughes said: "I am addressing you because I want to make you feel like a small man. You are an evil person selling drugs. "I will take considerable pleasure in sending you to prison. I find drug dealers to be the scum of the earth," the judge said.