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In texts, Graham Snee gave Barry Young a number of named individuals who were looking for ‘green’ (cannabis) and ‘paint’ (cocaine.)
Graham Snee (36) of Innisfree Court, Tonaphubble pleaded guilty to a charge, that on January 12, 2022 at Elm Gardens did commit a serious offence, to wit possession of cannabis for sale or supply under Section 5 of the Misuse of Drugs Act for the benefit of or at the direction of, or in association with a criminal organisation.
Detective Garda Eamon McDonnell, led by Mr Leo Mulrooney (Prosecutor) instructed by Ms Elisa McHugh, State Solicitor told the court that a statement from Detective Inspector Ray Mulderrig outlined that he was investigating the Barry Young Organised Crime Group.
Detective Inspector Mulderrig believed that the group, under Young’s direction had committed serious offences including drug trafficking on an international scale allied to money laundering, threats and intimidation.
The Detective Inspector was the senior officer in an operation that had seized €1.3m in drugs from the gang, the court heard.
The court hear that Detective Garda Neil Cotter got on a flight to Alicante in Spain on January 11 where he arrested Barry Young and also seized a Smart Phone.
The contents were examined and showed that in a series of texts between Snee and Young appeared to show that Snee may have been selling drugs and arranging the collection of money for drugs for Young.
A subsequent search of Snee’s then address found a bag of cannabis herb in an unlit stove and weighing scales in a bush outside his residence.
On August 24 Detective Garda McDonnell went to Castlerea prison to interview the defendant, where he was serving a sentence for another matter.
The defendant declined to comment at interview. He was arrested and charged on July 18 2024.
The Detective Garda had a summary of a series of text messages between Snee and Barry Young and these were relayed to the court by Mr Mulrooney. The messages were from October 2019 to December 19.
In the texts Snee gave Barry Young a number of named individuals who were looking for ‘green’ (cannabis) and ‘paint’ (cocaine.)
Snee also tells Young about the amounts of cash he had been given by these named individuals. At one point Young tells Snee about a deadline of a week that a customer has for paying for drugs.
Various sums of cash were mentioned -up to €14,700. One of the text messages from Snee said:“The town is in a drought we are on fire boy.”
At another point Young warns Snee not to give a named individual any drugs “unless he has money.”
The court heard the defendant had 19 previous convictions. Three of them were for sale or supply of cannabis and seven for possession of cannabis and the remainder for road traffic offences.
The defendant had served eight days on the charge before the court.
Eileen O’Leary S.C (Defending) with Eoin McGovern B.L. instructed by Edmund Henry, Solicitor told the court the defendant had been addicted to cannabis and cocaine from his teens.
It led him into criminal activity and his involvement was to feed his addiction. The amount of cannabis herb found at his residence was €93.
He had pleaded guilty at an early date and had previously served a jail sentence for a different drugs offence in 2022.
While in jail he had engaged with addiction services. Ms O’Leary said there was a positive report on his engagement with addiction and Probation services.
A drugs screen test taken earlier this month had shown that he was drug free.
The defendant was now in a stable relationship and had two young children.
His Probation Report said he was remorseful, ashamed and was aware of the negative effect drugs had on other families.
It added that he was motivated to improve his lifestyle and hardly ever went out.
Detective Garda McDonnell confirmed that this was the case.
Ms O’Leary said there was no concern about his involvement in criminal activities.
Graham Snee said he accepted responsibility for his actions and apologised to the court and society and was ashamed about his actions.
He was involved with addiction counselling and doing everything to stay clean. The defendant had two children and one of them has a serious medical condition and a medical report was produced in court.
The court heard he was working with an employment officer and has a business plan to set up as lawn mowing and window cleaning business.
Judge Keenan Johnston told the defendant that he had heard the text messages that showed he was involved with the sale of drugs and collection of money.
Mr Mulrooney said the texts showed he was holding drugs for a criminal organisation.
Ms O’Leary said a Probation Report stated that it would be detrimental for the defendant to serve another jail sentence which was unusual.
Judge Johnston said there was no doubt that the illicit supply of drugs is a scourge on society and is causing severe damage and the defendant was a classic case of becoming an addict and being coerced to sell drugs for a criminal organisation.
That was what had happened to the defendant.
An aggravating factor was that a significant amount of money was involved and he had three previous convictions for having drugs for sale or supply.
Mitigating factors were his guilty plea and a Probation Report said he was drug free from his release from prison last year for a different drugs offence.
The defendant was engaging with Probation and had taken a number of courses while in jail.
He had got a job last November but had to give it up due to family reasons.
The defendant had an active involvement in rearing his two children, seemed to have turned a new leaf and had not come to the attention of the gardaí since.
He had good family support and stable accommodation. The defendant had already previously served time in prison for a different drugs offence.
He had turned his life around and was determined to set up his own business.
The judge imposed a five- year jail sentence suspended for a period of seven years on a number of conditions.
He was released on his own bond of €500 to be subject to the Probation service for 18 months, continue to engage with his drug rehabilitation programme and to try and get employment within twelve months.
The defendant was also told to pay a total of €5000 as restorative justice to charity Social Ground Force and the North West Drugs Task Force within 18 months.
“The only reason you are walking out of here today is that you have already served a sentence for drugs,” said the judge.
“}]] A man who pleaded guilty to a charge of possession of cannabis for sale or supply for a criminal organisation, has been given a suspended jail sentence, at… Read More
