Drug dealing soldier was using army barracks as 'safe haven' for storing cocaine, court hears
A member of the Defence Forces who was caught with close to €27,000 worth of cocaine at an army barracks in Cork was using his room onsite as a 'safe haven' for storing drugs, a court has heard.
Shane Scanlon, of Cooline Heights, Ballyvoloon, Cobh, Co Cork, first appeared in court in March 2024 in connection with the offence.
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The 34-year-old was before Cork Circuit Criminal Court on Monday for sentencing.
Det Garda Derry O'Brien said that on March 27th, 2024, a search of Room 21 was carried out at Collins Barracks in Cork. He told Judge Dermot Sheehan that Scanlon was the sole occupant of the room.
Det Garda O'Brien said that gardaí recovered cocaine with a street value of €26,900 in the room and €1,100 in cash. They also found 'numerous drug paraphernalia' including a blender used for mixing drugs, a weighing scales, and bags.
The Garda said Scanlon made full admissions in relation to his ownership of the items. He was detained at Mayfield Garda Station on the northside of Cork city, where he admitted to gardaí that he had the drugs for sale and supply. The court heard that a search was also carried out at his home, where €2,250 in cash was recovered.
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Det Garda O'Brien said Scanlon told them that he was not a drug user. Gardaí found evidence of drug dealing on his phone, with the offending behaviour going as far back as 2021.
Det Garda O'Brien told Judge Dermot Sheehan that Scanlon was storing drugs in the barracks.
'He was using it [Collins Barracks] as a safe haven, as opposed to his home address in Cobh.'
The father of three has two previous convictions for minor driving offences. He has not come to the attention of gardaí since his arrest. A forfeiture order has been made in relation to the monies recovered, whilst the drugs paraphernalia recovered is set to be destroyed.
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Defence barrister Ray Boland SC said his client had come forward on a signed guilty plea. He said Scanlon made full admissions and immediately cooperated with gardaí following his arrest. Mr Boland said gardaí carried out the search of the room in Collins Barracks, having received information about suspected activity onsite.
Mr Boland said his client had resigned from the Army after 18 years of 'otherwise exemplary service.' He appealed for leniency in the case given the previous good character of Scanlon whom he said deserved extra credit for his signed plea.
The barrister said his client was aware of the 'shame and disrepute' he had caused via his actions. He asked that a suspended sentence be imposed in the case and stressed that his client was 'under financial pressure' when he committed the offences.
Mr Boland said the probation officer who handled his case had deemed Scanlon at moderate risk of reoffending as he was 'less than forthright about his previous convictions.'
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However, Mr Boland said Scanlon did not see the relevance of his driving convictions to the case. He said that there was a certain degree of naivety at play in relation to how Scanlon interacted with the probation service. He added that his client was a suitable candidate for monitoring by the probation service.
Judge Sheehan said the probation officer had noted a 'lack of insight" by the accused in to the impact of his offending.
'There is no drug addict here. No list of previous convictions. No unemployment. He [Scanlon] doesn't seem to understand how serious the impact of these offences are.'
He remanded Scanlon on bail until next Friday, May 23rd, when sentencing will be imposed in the case. The accused previously surrendered his passport. He has to continue to sign on at Cobh Garda Station whilst on bail.
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Scanlon previously pleaded guilty to being in possession of cocaine at Collins Barracks on Old Youghal Road in Cork for the purpose of selling or otherwise supplying it to another, on March 27th, 2024. He also admitted having cocaine unlawfully in his possession for his own use on the same occasion.
Scanlon also pleaded guilty to money laundering in respect of €1,100 at Collins Barracks and another sum of €2,250 at his home in Cobh.
He also entered a guilty plea to being in possession of articles, namely a blender and weighing scales, in circumstances giving rise to a 'reasonable inference' that it was for the purpose of commission, preparation, facilitation or instigation of a drug-trafficking offence.
The charge of having cocaine for sale and supply when it exceeds €13,000 comes with a mandatory ten-year minimum prison sentence unless there are exceptional circumstances.
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