Man arrested after he reported garda search as burglary
07/12/2009 - 16:45:50A drug dealer was arrested after he reported a garda search of his former home as a burglary, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court has heard.
Gardai found nearly €250,000 worth of drugs when they searched the home of Robert Atkinson (aged 25).
When he returned home the next day he thought he had been burgled and went to the garda station and made a statement.
When the gardaí involved in the drugs search heard of this they made contact with Atkinson and arrested him.
Judge Katherine Delahunt heard that Atkinson, of Rossmore Road, Ballyfermot, was in the last year of a college course in plumbing and adjourned the matter to allow him finish his studies.
He pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and cannabis worth €246,770 at Metropolitan Apartments, Inchicore on July 12, 2007.
Detective Garda Peter Clifford told Ms Anne Marie Lawlor BL, prosecuting, that a garda team searched Atkinson’s home after receiving a confidential tip-off about drugs there. Atkinson was not home and they forced their way in.
They found 1.46 kgs of cocaine in bags in the bedroom and 14.4 kgs of cannabis in vacuum packed parcels in a sports bag in the bathroom. They also discovered a weighing scales and a list recording payments for drugs.
After gardaí had left Atkinson arrived home and assumed he had been burgled. He made a statement to gardaí and was arrested soon after. He admitted the drugs were his and said he was getting €2,000 to store them for someone else but refused to name them.
When gardaí put the payment list to him he admitted selling some of the drugs but only in small amounts.
“I didn’t cooperate with you at the start but I’m coming to my senses now,” he said in interview. “I’m sorry for wasting your time.”
Det Gda Clifford said he had no previous convictions and had been released on bail following his arrest.
He agreed with Mr Erwin Mill Arden SC, defending, that Atkinson cooperated with gardaí and complied with all his bail conditions.
Mr Mill Arden said Atkinson had been doing a plumbing apprenticeship but had to leave because of drug problems. He said he had been using drugs since he was a teenager and later became involved in selling cannabis, running up a large debt in the process.
Judge Delahunt remanded Atkinson on bail until June and ordered an updated probation report be prepared.
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