A Tipperary plasterer and dog breeder was jailed for three years for possession of cocaine for sale or supply, allegedly found inside a firefighter’s locker at Nenagh Fire Station.
John Walsh (36) of Coille Bheithe, Nenagh, Tipperary was found guilty February 2nd by a jury at Nenagh Circuit Criminal Court, of possession of cocaine, and possession of cocaine for sale or supply.
The jury acquitted Walsh of one count of possession of cocaine worth €13,000 or more, a specific charge contrary to Section 15(a) of the Misuse of Drugs Act, which carries a mandatory minimum 10-year sentence unless in exceptional and specific circumstance.
After his arrest Walsh told gardaí he could not explain how his DNA was found on one of 39 individually wrapped bags of cocaine that were allegedly found in a lunch box in a locker at the fire station.
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Walsh, who the court heard had addiction difficulties, said he had never visited Nenagh Fire Station and he denied having anything to do with the cocaine which gardaí said had a street value of almost €80,000.
Nenagh firefighter Michael Morgan, (43), with an address at Cluain Muillean, Nenagh, was acquitted by the jury on the three same charges.
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The men’s trial heard the cocaine was found in Mr Morgan’s work locker during a routine inspection at the fire station on January 17th, 2018.
Mr Morgan was not on duty when the drugs were found, his locker was open when it was inspected, and a garda analysis of the cocaine did not find any forensic link between it and the firefighter.
The two accused men, who were friends and often went hunting together, denied a suggestion made by gardaí that text messages relating to “hunting gear”, which had been sent from Walsh’s mobile phone to Mr Morgan’s phone, was “code for drugs”.
Mr Morgan’s barrister said the fireman visited Nenagh Garda station, two years after the drugs were found, and told gardaí that there were people who had access to Nenagh fire station locker area around the time the drugs were found there, who had not been interviewed by gardaí.
Lead investigator, Garda Andrew Loughlin, Nenagh, told the court he did not recall this, and he said he had interviewed all persons he understood had access to the fire station locker area at the time.
The court heard that at least 30 people had access to the area where the drugs were found and it would have been relatively easy for contraband to be placed in lockers left open.
On Thursday, the court heard that €1,700 in cash seized by gardaí when they searched Walsh’s home as part of their investigation into the drugs, is to be donated to the Cuan Mhuire addiction treatment service.