Louth drug dealer turned chef spared imprisonment
Charlie Maher, Knockbrack Downs, Drogheda, was described by Judge Dara Hayes as a man who had turned his life around.
The defendant's house was searched on May 1, 2020, and in a bedroom officers located cocaine valued €5,747 and cannabis worth €155 as well as €445 cash and a phone with messages indicating drug dealing.
It was noted during a sentence hearing at Dundalk Circuit Court that the defendant had been given a two-year suspended term for a similar Section 15 drugs offence which occurred on March 8, 2021, but that there had been no trouble since.
Mr. Maher was assessed by the Probation Service as at low risk of reoffending.
He had submitted 10 clear urinalysis results and was drug-free.
He was working as a chef in a restaurant in Duleek having worked his way up from a kitchen porter and lived with his partner and her two children.
The defendant had moved away from a former negative peer group, and engaged well with the Probation Service.
Judge Hayes noted that he had not come to adverse garda attention for over four years and had turned his life around.
As serious as this case was it was not one which required immediate imprisonment.
A three-and-a-half year sentence was suspended for three-and-a-half years.
Orders were made for the destruction of the drugs and forfeiture of the cash.
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Sunday World
16 hours ago
- Sunday World
Drug dealer turned chef spared jail after cocaine seized in home
Charlie Maher was described by Judge Dara Hayes as a man who had turned his life around A 25-year-old drug dealer who became a chef has received a three-and-a-half year suspended sentence after Gardaí found almost €6,000-worth of drugs in his home. Charlie Maher, Knockbrack Downs, Drogheda, was described by Judge Dara Hayes as a man who had turned his life around. The defendant's house was searched on May 1, 2020, and in a bedroom officers located cocaine valued €5,747 and cannabis worth €155 as well as €445 cash and a phone with messages indicating drug dealing. It was noted during a sentence hearing at Dundalk Circuit Court that the defendant had been given a two-year suspended term for a similar Section 15 drugs offence which occurred on March 8, 2021, but that there had been no trouble since. Mr. Maher was assessed by the Probation Service as at low risk of reoffending. He had submitted 10 clear urinalysis results and was drug-free. He was working as a chef in a restaurant in Duleek having worked his way up from a kitchen porter and lived with his partner and her two children. The defendant had moved away from a former negative peer group, and engaged well with the Probation Service. Judge Hayes noted that he had not come to adverse garda attention for over four years and had turned his life around. As serious as this case was it was not one which required immediate imprisonment. A three-and-a-half year sentence was suspended for three-and-a-half years. Orders were made for the destruction of the drugs and forfeiture of the cash. Funded by Courts Reporting Scheme.
Irish Independent
a day ago
- Irish Independent
Louth drug dealer turned chef spared imprisonment
Charlie Maher, Knockbrack Downs, Drogheda, was described by Judge Dara Hayes as a man who had turned his life around. The defendant's house was searched on May 1, 2020, and in a bedroom officers located cocaine valued €5,747 and cannabis worth €155 as well as €445 cash and a phone with messages indicating drug dealing. It was noted during a sentence hearing at Dundalk Circuit Court that the defendant had been given a two-year suspended term for a similar Section 15 drugs offence which occurred on March 8, 2021, but that there had been no trouble since. Mr. Maher was assessed by the Probation Service as at low risk of reoffending. He had submitted 10 clear urinalysis results and was drug-free. He was working as a chef in a restaurant in Duleek having worked his way up from a kitchen porter and lived with his partner and her two children. The defendant had moved away from a former negative peer group, and engaged well with the Probation Service. Judge Hayes noted that he had not come to adverse garda attention for over four years and had turned his life around. As serious as this case was it was not one which required immediate imprisonment. A three-and-a-half year sentence was suspended for three-and-a-half years. Orders were made for the destruction of the drugs and forfeiture of the cash.
Irish Independent
4 days ago
- Irish Independent
Louth man threatened workers at gunpoint during robbery
Hayden Crosbie, Moneymore, Drogheda, received concurrent sentences of six years for robbery and three years for each of producing a handgun and making a threat to kill or cause serious harm stemming from the incident at Maxol, Donore Road, Drogheda. He had signed pleas of guilty. He was handed a further 21 months consecutive, the suspended portion of a previous sentence, after he failed to meet the conditions of the suspension. The defendant was apprehended after leaving a fingerprint at the scene of the robbery which occurred on October 8, 2024, just two months after his release from the other sentence. At 6.30am the driver was met by a Maxol employee and as the delivery was being unloaded they saw a man approach wearing a balaclava. His hood was up and he was pointing a gun at them. The female staff member panicked and shut a door, leaving the driver in a room with Mr Crosbie for a couple of seconds. She pressed a panic button. He was shouting, 'Give me the money' to which the other man replied, 'I'm the delivery guy'. Nonetheless, he pointed the gun at his knees before going through the door and pointing the gun at the woman. She showed him the tills from which he took approximately €500 and ran out. Det Gda Gerard Nixon who viewed CCTV footage of the incident on his arrival said that Crosbie held the gun in his right gloved hand. His left was ungloved. With this hand he touched the deli table. The scene was preserved and Forensics was able to lift a fingerprint off the table. The accused subsequently told investigators that he had a pellet gun. He didn't know where it was. He did this for drugs and out of fear. He owed money. "Sorry doesn't cut it. Of course I'm sorry. As far she knew it was a real gun.' There were 65 previous convictions, including for robbery, burglary, theft, endangerment, criminal damage and trespass. The woman made a Victim Impact Statement and said that she no longer felt safe. She was afraid it would happen again. "He aimed a gun at me and threatened to shoot my knees.' She endured flashbacks, panic attacks and couldn't sleep. She was on medication and said that the emotional impact would be felt for years to come. Regarding the other matter, the court heard that Hayden Crosbie, a father of twins, received a three-year, three-month sentence for a burglary and unauthorised taking of vehicles, the final 21 months suspended on condition of Probation Service supervision. A probation officer said that he missed six appointments. Judge Dara Hayes said that these were serious offences. The defendant, masked and gloved, produced a gun and pointed it the victims 'with great deliberation'. It was a significant step up from previous offending. The judge remarked there was no evidential basis to suspend any portion of the sentences which were backdated to when Mr Crosbie went into custody on January 10 last. Funded by the Courts Reporting Scheme
