Man became drug-mule because he couldn't afford Xmas presents for grandkids
Custom officers stopped Patrick Kelly (63) this January as he was coming through Dublin Airport as they thought he was acting 'suspicious and evasive'. The luggage he was carrying was later searched and found to contain just under 20kg of cannabis, worth an estimated €398,680.
Kelly himself acknowledged in garda interview that this was 'a suicide mission' and 'complete madness'.
Kelly of Moneymore, Drogheda, County Louth, came forward to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on signed pleas from the District Court.
He pleaded guilty to importation of cannabis at Dublin Airport on January 12, 2025. He also admitted to having cannabis for sale or supply on the same date.
He has minor previous convictions for road traffic offences and has been on remand in custody since his arrest in January. Judge Orla Crowe said it was 'a very considerable amount of drugs' and Kelly had taken 'a significant level of personal risk'.
The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week
She accepted he had acted as a drugs mule and acknowledged that he had financial difficulties at the time but commented that many others find themselves in similar financial circumstances and 'don't succumb' to taking up such roles.
She noted the impact drugs have on society and added that Kelly got involved for financial gain. Judge Crowe jailed Kelly for three years and backdated the offence to when he first went into custody.
Antonia Boyle BL, prosecuting, said that Kelly told gardaí in interview that since his retirement in November 2023 he had been living 'hand to mouth' on his pension.
He became very depressed around Christmas time, particularly because he had no money to get presents for his two grandchildren.
Kelly said he was targeted by someone who knew of his financial situation and was offered money to take a suitcase from Thailand into Dublin.
It was accepted by gardaí that Kelly had been exploited and that he accepted himself in interview that what he had done was very wrong.
Michael Hourigan SC, defending, said Kelly had started his working life in a bakery before moving to London for about 20 years where he worked in construction. He then returned to Ireland with his family.
He worked for some time in a coal yard before he moved to work with Irish Rail. He remained with Irish Rail until his retirement in 2023.
Counsel said someone known to Kelly was aware of his personal circumstances and 'invited him into the operation'.
Mr Hourigan said his client never asked for bail and co-operated with the garda investigation. Kelly is currently on an enhanced regime in prison. Counsel asked the court to accept that Kelly 'accepted responsibility from the very beginning'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
6 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Man who stole €40,000 in social welfare entitlements gets suspended sentence
A 61-year-old man who used a false Afghan passport to claim more than €40,000 in social welfare entitlements has been given a suspended sentence. The judge heard that the Pakistani man is actually entitled to the money under his own name. Faizal Akbar, with an address at Benburb Street in Dublin, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where he pleaded guilty to stealing the money on dates between 2010 and 2019. Judge Orla Crowe noted that he had used the false passport to open a bank account, get an 'M10 form' and make an application to the Department of Social Protection. He then received €43,715 in payments from the department. This false Afghan passport also allowed him to leave Ireland several times to travel back to Pakistan to see his wife and children. The court noted that when the Afghan passport had expired, he had self-reported the situation to his bank, stating that he needed a real passport to travel and visit an ailing relative. The bank contacted the gardai. In 2023, Akbar learned that he was eligible for the payment he had wrongly claimed and is now receiving that very same benefit in his own name. The judge noted that he had no previous convictions and no trappings of wealth; he, in fact, shares a room with three other adults, despite working here. However, his family is understood to have difficult circumstances in Pakistan. "It's a very unusual case," remarked Judge Crowe. "He shouldn't have done it by obtaining a false passport." She imposed a sentence of two years on him, but suspended it in full on his own recognisance for four years. "This will hang over him for that period of four years," she said.
Sunday World
7 hours ago
- Sunday World
Man who used false passport to claim over €40k in social welfare avoids jail
Faizal Akbar, with an address at Benburb Street in Dublin, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. A 61-year-old man who used a false Afghan passport to claim more than €40,000 in social welfare entitlements has been given a suspended sentence. The judge heard that the Pakistani man is actually entitled to the money under his own name. Faizal Akbar, with an address at Benburb Street in Dublin, appeared before Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where he pleaded guilty to stealing the money on dates between 2010 and 2019. Faizal Akbar News in 90 Seconds - Thursday, July 3 Judge Orla Crowe noted that he had used the false passport to open a bank account, get an 'M10 form' and make an application to the Department of Social Protection. He then received €43,715 in payments from the department. This false Afghan passport also allowed him to leave Ireland several times to travel back to Pakistan to see his wife and children. The court noted that when the Afghan passport had expired, he had self-reported the situation to his bank, stating that he needed a real passport to travel and visit an ailing relative. The bank contacted the gardai. Faizal Akbar, 60. Photo: Collins Courts In 2023, Akbar learned that he was eligible for the payment he had wrongly claimed and is now receiving that very same benefit in his own name. The judge noted that he had no previous convictions and no trappings of wealth; he, in fact, shares a room with three other adults, despite working here. However, his family is understood to have difficult circumstances in Pakistan. 'It's a very unusual case,' remarked Judge Crowe. 'He shouldn't have done it by obtaining a false passport.' She imposed a sentence of two years on him, but suspended it full on his own recognisance for four years. 'This will hang over him for that period of four years,' she said.
Irish Daily Mirror
7 hours ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Elderly man, 90s, dies nearly a month after horror road crash
An elderly man who was seriously injured following a single-vehicle serious road traffic collision in Co Tyrone last month has died in hospital. The crash, involving a silver Range Rover, occurred in the Ballymagowan Road area of Clogher at around 4.20pm on Saturday, June 7. Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) attended, alongside members from other emergency service, and medical assistance was provided at the scene. The driver of the vehicle, a man aged in his 80s, and accompanying passenger, a man aged in his 90s, were both rushed to hospital for treatment to their injuries. The driver was later discharged from hospital but the passenger has, sadly, now died from his injuries, the PSNI confirmed in a statement issued on Thursday. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Police are continuing to appeal for information and witnesses to the fatal collision to come contact them. Inspector Cherith Adair from the Collision Investigation Unit said: 'Collision Investigation Unit detectives are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the collision and are especially keen to hear from anyone who has footage of the vehicle in the area prior to, or at the time of the incident. 'Anyone with information, or who has dash-cam, mobile or other footage can contact police on 101, quoting reference number 955 of 07/06/25.' For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow us on Twitter @IrishMirror - the official Irish Mirror Twitter account - real news in real time. We're also on Facebook/irishmirror - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Irish Daily Mirror, Irish Sunday Mirror and
