Ex-British soldier jailed on cocaine charge
A former British soldier has been jailed for 10 years for being in possession of cocaine valued at €50,000 for sale or supply.
Paul Fitzgerald, aged 47, of Orwell Mews, Rathgar, pleaded guilty to having the cocaine for sale or supply at his home on March 25, 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 earlier heard that Fitzgerald has nine previous convictions in England for offences including possession of illegal drugs, forgery, arson, handling stolen property and possession of firearms.
Detective Garda Tom Barber earlier told Mr Fergal Foley BL, 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 white powder into packages for sale.
Det. Garda Barber told Mr Michael O’Higgins SC, 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 years-old and served for nine years.
He returned to Ireland four and a half 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 three children, one of whom is disabled.
