Ex Meath hurler jailed for cannabis possession
A former Meath county hurler has been sentenced to five years for trying to transport €55,000 worth of cannabis from Dublin to Kerry by train.
John Nelson (aged 40) of Parnell Park, Navan was a promising young hurler who was one of the first in the country to achieve a senior medal at 16 years old, the court heard. However his life was “turned around” by drugs and he has been a chronic addict for the last 20 years.
He pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to possession of over eight kilograms of cannabis resin at Heuston station on December 6, 2008.
Judge Tony Hunt suspended the final 18 months of the term, commenting that Nelson came from a “very respectable family and his life has taken an unfortunate turn”.
Detective Garda Ronan McMahon told prosecuting counsel, Mr Pieter Le Vert BL, that he received confidential information that Nelson would be transporting the drugs by train. He saw him in the queue for the train to Cork carrying a heavy rucksack and stopped him.
Nelson immediately told them: “I’ve hash in me bag and an ounce of brown in my trousers.” A search revealed eight kilograms for cannabis resin in the rucksack and a further ounce hidden in his trousers.
He said he had come up to Dublin from Kerry where he had been staying with his fiancé. He said he was given the drugs and was to take a train to back to Kerry where someone would meet him and pay him.
He said he was to receive an ounce of cannabis and “eight or nine hundred euros”. He said he was making the delivery to get money for Christmas.
Det Gda Mc McMahon said he had 15 previous convictions including ones for assault and drug dealing.
Defence counsel, Mr Bernard Condon SC, said Nelson had co-operated with gardaí and had entered an early guilty plea as soon as possible.
The court heard he had achieved success as a hurler for both his club and county and had been one of the first in the country to receive a senior championship medal at the age of 16. He also won a national medal with the Meath minor team at the age of 18.
Nelson left the family furniture business and started working in construction which is when he started abusing drugs. He was on and off heroin for years but his addiction became worse after the death of his father ten years ago. He lived between Navan with his mother and Kerry where his partner of 23 years resides.
