Cork man who hid cocaine in his underwear during search of house is jailed

A man who tried to hide cocaine in his underwear when gardaí searched his house under warrant has received a 10-month jail sentence.

Cork man who hid cocaine in his underwear during search of house is jailed

A man who tried to hide cocaine in his underwear when gardaí searched his house under warrant has received a 10-month jail sentence.

Vincent Keane, with an address at Apartment 1, Main St, Derrigra in Enniskeane in Co Cork, faced four charges at Bandon District Court, including possession of drugs with intent of sale or supply.

Judge James McNulty heard that on July 2 last year gardaí executed a search warrant and went to Mr Keane's home.

Insp David Callaghan told Judge James McNulty that Mr Keane admitted to gardaí that he had cocaine on his person and handed over one small wrap of the drug, after first trying to hide a larger wrap in his underwear.

A garda search also uncovered two grinders, two mobile phones, a weighing scales and a small quantity of cannabis.

The cocaine seized, some 21.347g, had a potential street value of €1,494, while the cannabis was worth €20.

The court heard that Mr Keane, 46, had a number of previous convictions, including for misuse of drugs and, in 2001, for assault. Insp Callaghan said Mr Keane also had some convictions from the UK, including battery and assault in 2007 and common assault in 2001.

His solicitor, Plunkett Taaffe, said Mr Keane was a native of Bandon and had battled addiction his whole life, starting with alcohol.

Mr Taaffe said his client was a father of four and had given up alcohol but still had difficulties with drugs. Mr Keane was holding the drugs for someone else, the court was told, and Mr Taaffe said nothing of any evidential value was found on the mobile phones.

He said his client had since made serious attempts to address longstanding mental health issues and asked that he be afforded the chance to resume that once he left prison.

Judge McNulty sentenced Mr Keane to 10 months in prison for having the drugs for the purposes of sale or supply but suspended nine months of the term on the usual conditions and on the basis that Mr Keane stay under the supervision of the Probation Service which will include random urine analysis in the coming year.

He also made it a condition of sentencing that Mr Keane engage fully with mental health and addiction services.

He also sentenced him to one month in prison for obstructing a search, one month for simple possession of cocaine and a fine of €200 for possession of cannabis.

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