A judge has imposed a 14 year prison term on a cocaine dealer who was caught ‘red handed’ mixing cocaine during a late night Gardai raid on a ‘cocaine factory’ outside Ennis last year.
At Ennis Circuit Court on Wednesday, Judge Brian O’Callaghan imposed the 14 year prison term suspending the final two years on father of two, Tony McInerney (25).
Imposing sentence, Judge O’Callaghan stated that he is in no doubt that Mr McInerney “has inflicted untold harm, destruction, pain and suffering on not just the people of Clare but people in this society in general through his criminal dirty drug dealing activities”.
Mr McInerney of Glenina, Gort Rd, Ennis – who has not served time in prison for any other offence – wrote a letter to Judge O’Callaghan pleading with the judge to let him home from prison where he has been on remand to see his family as soon as possible.
However, in sentencing, Judge O’Callaghan stated that there was not one word in Mr McInerney’s letter “about the hundreds of people whose lives he has destroyed throughout his criminal activity”.
Judge O’Callaghan stated that there are “people in hospital and in the graveyards of this country because of his actions and of his colleagues – his buddies – so called ‘drug lords’. The use of the word ‘lord’ is an insult. They are drug thieves and criminals”.
Judge O’Callaghan described Mr McInerney as “a major player” in the “dirty drugs business in Clare” stating that he got involved in drug dealing for “greed and for profit”
Judge O’Callaghan stated that the pandemic of illicit drugs “in this country long predated Covid-19. Please God, this society will treat this pandemic, once Covid-19 has gone, with the same vigour it has approached Covid-19 in the past 12 months”.
Judge O’Callaghan stated that Mr McInerney had been caught ‘red handed’ at the “cocaine factory” and “high end sophisticated cocaine distribution centre” that was in operation at a house in Spancilhill.
In evidence, Det Garda Paul Heaslip said that during a Garda raid, supported by the Armed Response Unit, on a property at Spancilhill outside Ennis at 11.30pm on September 23rd last, Mr McInerney was found in the garage surrounded by drug paraphernalia including a cocaine press, weighing scales, a blender and a mixing agent.
Det Garda Heaslip stated that Mr McInerney was wearing orange latex gloves and raised his two hands up in the air holding a bag of cocaine in one hand when Gardai entered.
Det Garda Heaslip stated that €50,800 of cocaine was recovered from the scene.
The detective said that Mr McInerney is “at the top of the pyramid” in the illicit drugs scene in Clare and had been a target of the divisional drugs unit.
The detective said that Mr McInerney had paid the occupier of the home €2,500 ‘rent’ for the use of the garage while he mixed the cocaine.
Det Garda Heaslip stated that Mr McInerney doesn’t work and is not in receipt of social welfare but owns Mercedes and Audi make cars.
Det Heaslip stated that Mr McInerney was born and raised in Dublin but came to Clare aged 11 in 2006. Det Heaslip said that Mr McInerney lost an older brother to drowning in 2009.
Mr McInerney had one previous conviction for drugs concerning €1,700 worth of cannabis in 2013.
In a letter to the judge, Mr McInerney said: “I am not a bad person but I have made some bad decisions in my life.”
He stated: “My partner is lost without me at home along with my Mam and Dad.
My mother had a hip replacement and spinal surgery. She is 61 and I always cared for her. My Dad is 71 and I always cared for him too.
“There are so many people who care about me and I care about them also. I need to get home and make things right. This is my first time I have been in trouble since 2013. I was 17 at the time. It is now 2021 and eight years since I got in trouble.
“It is also my first time in jail. I have already learned my lesson on remand over the past seven months.
“Please let me home to my family to my family as soon as possible. I know I have to suffer the consequences of my actions. I take full responsibility. I am sorry for everything I have done. I want to apologise to the court.”
Judge O’Callaghan said that he sympathised over the impact Mr McInerney’s offences have had on his family relations but “any attempt at remorse is not genuine”.
Mr McInerney pleaded guilty to two charges before the court.
Judge O’Callaghan imposed an 11 year prison term for the Section 15(a) Misuse of Drugs Act charge of possession of cocaine valued at over € 13,000 with intent to sale or supply at Kilfilum, Spancilhill outside Ennis on September 23rd.
Judge O’Callaghan imposed a three year jail term to run consecutive to the 11 years for the possession of €4,250 which the State say is the proceeds of criminal conduct.
Judge O’Callaghan suspended the final two years of the 14 year prison term.
